Newcastle United Appoint Matthias Jaissle as New Head Coach

Newcastle United have turned to Matthias Jaissle as their new head coach, with the 38-year-old signing a four-year deal at St James’ Park.

Jaissle joins from Al-Ahli after what Newcastle called a thorough and confidential search. He is the club’s first German manager and the first foreign head coach since Rafael Benítez departed in 2019.

He steps in straight away and will be in the dugout for Saturday’s pre-season trip to Valencia at the Mestalla. Details of his backroom staff are still to be announced.

Newcastle now have a coach known for aggressive pressing, quick transitions and a strong track record of developing young players.

Jaissle’s first senior job was with FC Liefering in Austria, before he stepped up to replace Jesse Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg in 2021. He made an immediate impact, winning the Austrian Bundesliga and Cup in his debut season, guiding Salzburg into the Champions League knockouts for the first time, and then retaining the league title a year later.

In total, he won 64 of his 93 games in charge at Salzburg before heading to Saudi Arabia in 2023.

At Al-Ahli, Jaissle took charge of a squad packed with familiar names from the Premier League: Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino and former Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin among them. He steered the team to third in the league in his first season, earning a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite,  a competition Al-Ahli went on to win in 2024/25.

He followed up by lifting the Saudi Super Cup and defending the continental crown last season. In total, Jaissle departs Al-Ahli with 90 wins from 123 matches and a win rate above 65 per cent.

Newcastle chief executive David Hopkinson described Jaissle as an “exceptional fit”, pointing to his record of delivering success and his drive to improve. Sporting director Ross Wilson also highlighted the coach’s high-energy football and ability to build cohesive teams.

That approach should feel familiar to Newcastle fans. Under Eddie Howe, pressing and intensity were the hallmarks of the side that returned to the Champions League and lifted the 2025 Carabao Cup.

The real test for Jaissle now is to keep those foundations in place while stamping his own identity on a squad facing a summer of change.

Speaking in Newcastle’s official announcement, Jaissle said becoming head coach was an “incredible honour” and described the club’s ambition and future plans as central to his decision.

He also promised to build his side around togetherness, hard work and intensity, adding: “I cannot wait to get started and will attack this opportunity.”

With Jaissle in place, Newcastle’s search for a new head coach is over and preparations for the new season can properly begin.

He is set for his St James’ Park debut the following weekend, when Newcastle host Bayer Leverkusen and Strasbourg in pre-season. But before that, all eyes will be on Valencia to see how quickly Jaissle’s ideas start to take hold.