Eddie Howe has rejected Crystal Palace, while Manchester United are still weighing up their next move. ChronicleLive also reported that United had no official contact with Howe or his representatives, even as his name stays in the conversation and his break from management continues.
Howe's break from management
Howe has been out of work since stepping away at the end of July after nearly five years at Newcastle. In his own words, he said: "After nearly five years of giving my life, heart and soul into the club with unrelenting energy, I feel that it is in the best interests of both myself and the club to step away, recharge and take a break". He also added: "Although it's been incredibly difficult to make this decision, I know in my heart that it's the right one."
That is the key part of this story. Howe is not sounding like a coach desperate to jump at the first opening, and ChronicleLive says he has already turned down approaches from both Crystal Palace and Lens while waiting for the right opportunity.
United's managerial uncertainty
The United side of the picture is less tidy. The club are 18th in the Premier League, have 8 points from their opening 10 matches and have won only 1 league game. Their recent league form is a run of draws and defeats, which explains why any candidate discussion carries extra heat.
TeamTalk had previously reported that Howe is Wilcox's preferred candidate should Carrick be sacked, but ChronicleLive's line is different on the contact itself. That leaves United with a live managerial question and Howe still outside it, at least for now.
The compensation angle is part of why this is not a simple chase. TEAMtalk says Howe would cost about £3m in compensation to Newcastle, and that fee sits alongside the fact that he has shown no rush to return. United's next move will say more than the speculation around his name, especially with no official contact confirmed and no decision announced yet.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
