Newcastle United appeared increasingly likely to be stuck with an expensive third-choice goalkeeper beyond Tuesday’s transfer deadline, but Nick Pope has now received a late potential escape route from St. James’ Park.
The 34-year-old has been displaced following Newcastle’s summer goalkeeping overhaul, with Lukas Hornicek established as Matthias Jaissle’s new No. 1 and Ewen Jaouen serving as his backup.
According to The Daily Record’s Mark Pirie, however, Celtic has now shown “tentative interest”
in Pope of late, reigniting their early-summer interest in the veteran goalie.
The Scottish champions, however, are not alone. Pirie reported that Hull City and Ipswich Town have also expressed interest ahead of the Sept. 1 deadline, potentially giving Newcastle fresh hope of finding a solution for its former starting goalkeeper.
On the bad-news front, though, none of those approaches has yet developed into anything substantial.
“A ‘serious’ bid has not yet materialised and Pope could remain on Tyneside until January,” Pirie reported.
That represents a slight shift from the bleak picture presented last week. The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope reported on Wednesday that Newcastle expected Pope to stay because the goalkeeping openings at possible prior destinations had already been filled.
“Newcastle are still trying to find a solution given Pope has been told he would be third choice, but time is running out,” Hope reported.
After investing more than £44 million (€51 million) combined in Hornicek and Jaouen this summer, Pope’s pathway into Jaissle’s team is minimal, if not entirely unrealistic. The veteran is also entering the final year of his contract, making the prospect of carrying his salary without regularly using him particularly undesirable for the Magpies.
Celtic’s emergence offers Newcastle some hope, although Pirie’s report stops well short of suggesting a transfer is close. Hull and Ipswich provide two additional possibilities, but unless tentative interest becomes a concrete proposal before Tuesday, Pope could remain Newcastle’s expensive No. 3 until at least January.
Should Newcastle accept a cut-price deal and/or subsidize Pope’s salary to get him off the books, or simply keep him as experienced depth until January or next summer? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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