Newcastle United’s goalkeeper situation has changed dramatically this summer, with the club spending heavily to bring in two younger options while uncertainty has continued to surround former Magpies No. 1 Nick Pope as he enters the final year of his contract.
New manager Matthias Jaissle, speaking after Saturday’s Trofeo Naranja victory, offered perhaps the clearest indication yet that Pope’s Newcastle career is approaching its end.
The veteran was left entirely out of the squad for the 2-1 win over
Valencia despite traveling to the La Manga training camp, and Jaissle confirmed afterward that the pair have already discussed his situation.
“We wanted to give the new signing 90 minutes,” Jaissle said. “I had a talk with Nick. I really appreciate what he did in his career so far, and he knows exactly his situation right now, and we need to deal with it in the best possible way.”
The comments come after Newcastle paid just over £26 million (€30.5 million) to sign Lukas Hornicek from Braga, who started and completed the game against Valencia, shortly after ponying up £18.5 million (€21.5 million) for Ewen Jaouen.
Pope’s omission from the first preseason game against on-par competition was particularly telling because Newcastle still named three goalkeepers for the friendly. Hornicek, 24, veteran Mark Gillespie and 19-year-old Aidan Harris were selected as alternatives. Jaouen was unavailable with a minor injury.
Chronicle Live reports that Pope will now spend time with his representatives looking for a new challenge before the transfer window closes. The 34-year-old had previously been linked with Leeds United and Ipswich Town, while Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke recently reported that Celtic has made no contact and considers a move highly unlikely.
Nothing has been formally agreed regarding Pope’s departure, but Jaissle’s comments, combined with Saturday’s selection and Newcastle’s investment in Hornicek and Jaouen, leave little ambiguity about the direction in which the situation is heading.
Pope has been at Newcastle for four years and truly had moments of greatness, but all sides now appear to be preparing for the possibility of a separation before the window shuts, with the veteran on a clear decline for a few months running.
Do you think Newcastle is making the right call by moving toward Hornicek and Jaouen while cashing in on a Pope sale, or would you keep Pope around if only on a clear backup role, as long as he accepts it? Let us know how you would handle the goalkeeper situation in the comments below.
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