Newcastle United CEO Darren Eales says the club will “fight to keep” Eddie Howe, amid speculation linking the Magpies boss with the England head coach vacancy.

Howe is among the frontrunners to replace Gareth Southgate, who announced on Tuesday he would step down as the Three Lions’ boss after their Euro 2024 final heartbreak against Spain.

The 47-year-old, who guided Bournemouth into the Premier League in 2015 and oversaw a five-year stay in the top flight, has also made great strides with Newcastle since replacing Steve Bruce in October 2021.

The Magpies were bottom of the Premier League when Howe took over the reins, but he guided them into the Champions League in his first full season, while they finished a respectable seventh last term.

Howe, who previously said he was not ready for international management, signed a lucrative long-term contract extension with Newcastle last year, and Eales dismissed speculation of him leaving St James’ Park for St George’s Park.

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“The first thing to say is that in any organisation, if you are performing well, there will be speculation from other clubs,” the Magpies CEO said from the club’s pre-season base in Germany. “But Eddie is under a long-term contract with the club.

“You see him, he loves the day to day of club football, and we have an exciting project here in terms of the commitment from the ownership and the journey we want to go on.

“For sure, we’d fight to keep him at the club. For us, he is exactly the right man for the project we are on at Newcastle United, and that is why we are committed to a long-term deal with him. We love him.

“It is speculation on Eddie. He has been an amazing manager at the club, and he is committed to Newcastle through the work that he has done.

“We are obviously committed to him and had a multi-year extension last summer signed. We are on an exciting journey and, as far as we are concerned, Eddie is the man to lead us on that journey. From our perspective, there is nothing to add.”