The departure of Matthias Jaissle from Al Ahli Saudi FC was the culmination of events that began almost two months earlier, with Barcelona at the centre of a chain reaction at Newcastle United.
Reports said on Thursday that the German coach had submitted his resignation from Al Ahli Saudi FC in order to take charge of Newcastle United next season, replacing Eddie Howe.
According to a report by Catalan newspaper Sport, Barcelona played a leading role in creating the circumstances that have now prompted Newcastle to seek a new manager and Jaissle to consider a move to the Premier League.
The sequence of events began on 29 May, when Barcelona announced the signing of England winger Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for 70m euros, with a further 10m euros in add-ons.
Sport described Gordon’s departure as particularly significant for Newcastle because he had been viewed as a player around whom the club’s future project could be built. His importance had increased after Sweden striker Alexander Isak left for Liverpool last summer.
Gordon’s transfer was followed by further uncertainty over Newcastle’s squad. Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali subsequently joined Tottenham in a deal worth 108m euros, while Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is reportedly close to moving to Arsenal for 90m euros.
The continuing loss of prominent players is said to have contributed to Howe’s decision to leave his position. The Englishman reportedly stepped down in order to take a break, amid uncertainty about the direction Newcastle United would take next season.
Howe’s departure left Newcastle’s board searching for a successor, with Jaissle emerging as the preferred candidate because of the achievements he has made during his three years in charge of Al Ahli Saudi FC.
The German coach has led the Saudi club to the AFC Champions League Elite title for the first time in its history and then repeated that success for a second time. He has also guided Al Ahli Saudi FC to the Saudi Super Cup, ending a nine-year wait for the trophy.
Those results made Jaissle an attractive option for Newcastle as the club looked for a manager capable of leading it through a period of major change.
The reported move therefore did not develop suddenly. Instead, it followed a series of decisions involving Barcelona, Newcastle’s leading players and Howe, beginning with Gordon’s transfer in late May and eventually leading the club to identify Jaissle as its next managerial target.
Jaissle’s resignation from Al Ahli Saudi FC was reported on Thursday, with the proposed appointment at Newcastle United expected to take effect from the start of next season.
