NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE — Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe said the club's Saudi Arabian owners remained as committed as ever to its success, speaking to reporters ahead of Saturday's home match against Brighton & Hove Albion. Newcastle sits 14th in the Premier League standings after four straight defeats in the current season.

Howe said representatives of the Public Investment Fund had recently visited the club. "The owners and representatives of PIF were over, and it was constructive, good meetings, and I was a small part of that," he said. "It's always constructive because they clearly care so much about the football club."

He said the ambitions set by the ownership had not shifted. "The desire is unchanged, to try and get to the top of the Premier League, to try and win as many trophies consistently as possible. I don't think, while PIF are our owners, or part owners, majority owners, that will change."

Asked about his own position, he said his focus had not wavered. "I've never needed clarity in my head, in the sense that I'm here, I'm working, and I'm committed," he said.

He acknowledged that results would determine the trajectory of the season. "A football club has to do what a football club has to do," he said. "The football club needs to see we are going in the right direction and there's a positive feeling and fighting on all fronts."

He added: "You can talk as much as you want, but the proof is in how the team performs. I'm under no illusions that that needs to be positive."

The Public Investment Fund acquired Newcastle in October 2021. The club twice qualified for the UEFA Champions League in their first few seasons under Saudi Arabian ownership and won the League Cup in 2025.

PIF is chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and is involved in several other sports. The fund spent more than $5 billion on LIV Golf since the series launched in 2022.