Newcastle United will step up efforts to bring in a new, younger goalkeeper to compete with Nick Pope as they wrap up a double deal for Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly and Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo.
i understands that Newcastle believe a deal for defender Kelly has been clinched – despite late interest from Tottenham Hotspur – while “concrete progress” has been made on a move for highly-rated free agent Adarabioyo this week.
Manchester United have also shown an interest in the 26-year-old but Newcastle are understood to have been more proactive and an agreement could come as early as next week. It would represent superb business if Newcastle managed to clinch both free agents and plug the gaps created by the serious injuries suffered by Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.
And i understands that Newcastle have held talks with Valencia over Giorgi Mamardashvili, the Georgia international goalkeeper who has been a long-term Magpies target.
23-year-old Mamardashvili, who is rated at around £30m by his club, is understood to be keen on moving to the Premier League but no formal offer has yet been tabled. The feeling in Spain is that one will arrive in the coming weeks.
Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale is another player of interest but the club may be wary of arming the Gunners with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) headroom to fund a potential move for Bruno Guimaraes, who has a £100m release clause that expires at the end of next month. It is understood that Arsenal need to sell fringe players to fund ambitious moves but the prospect of spending £100m before the end of June is unlikely without substantial player trading.
Newcastle supporters have been perplexed by the club’s interest in a new goalkeeper but, as i revealed back in January, the department is set for a shake up with Martin Dubravka’s future increasingly uncertain. The drop-off in the club’s defensive record when he replaced Pope was marked and he is likely to move down the pecking order next season, even if his camp are hoping for a contract offer.
Although fourth choice Mark Gillespie has re-signed for another year, Loris Karius will become a free agent and while Newcastle believe they have an outstanding crop of younger goalkeepers in the academy, most of them, such as Max Thompson, who impressed at Northampton Town in the first part of last season, need loans to develop.
Pope, who missed the majority of this season with a serious shoulder injury, is 32 and bringing in a younger keeper on his way up would challenge him to reproduce his best form while also easing the pressure on any new signing to adapt immediately to the rigours of the Premier League.
If Newcastle qualify for the Europa Conference League – which will happen if Manchester United lose the FA Cup final this weekend – there will be plenty of games for Eddie Howe to rotate his squad.
Newcastle also want a younger, versatile forward and have maintained a watching brief on Rennes’ 18-year-old Desire Doue. His agent Mikael Silvestre told i last year Newcastle had watched the player – and he is valued at around £35m.
To continue to recruit this summer the club will need to sell players too but the agent of Miguel Almiron – one of those the Magpies may look to move on – has claimed Newcastle have turned down offers from Premier League rivals.
“Other Premier League clubs have asked about him but Newcastle don’t want to sell. The Saudi Arabian market is hovering. There may be news [later this summer] but he is comfortable,” Daniel Campos, Almiron’s representative, told Paraguayan radio station ABC Cardinal.
Newcastle’s recruitment efforts are continuing despite the setback of Dougie Freedman rejecting their overtures to succeed Dan Ashworth as director of football.
Freedman was Newcastle’s first choice but informed the club on Friday he’d be staying at Palace. The club are now set to return to the drawing board with plans to appoint by the end of May now deemed unfeasible.
As i reported earlier this month, the priority for the recruitment role is Premier League experience. They are also set to appoint a performance director at a later date.
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