Newcastle United have struggled for form this season and, as such, a number of questions have orientated around their decisions to let certain players leave in the summer.
Amongst those leaving St. James’ Park during the transfer window in the close season was Belgian goalkeeper Mats Sels, who returned to his homeland to join Anderlecht on-loan.
Sels started last season as first-choice goalkeeper but was demoted after a series of poor performances, which saw Karl Darlow move ahead of him in the pecking order- and he then dropped to third-choice after Rob Eliott’s return from injury.
As such, the 25-year-old left Tyneside to seek more regular first-team action as he seeks a spot in Belgium’s World Cup squad next summer. Explaining his decision to Humo, he said:
“I played fifteen matches at Newcastle. That’s not much. I could have stayed and competed, but I estimated my playing opportunities at Anderlecht were higher. For the time being I am not worried, there will be enough matches. But it is true that I wanted to keep my World Cup opportunities cool by coming here.”
“That was what Roberto Martínez had told me: that I definitely had to play, and that he did not see that happening at Newcastle.”
“Now, even if I play at Anderlecht, it does not give me the certainty that I will be there. But by staying with Newcastle and sitting on the bench again, I certainly did not stand a chance.”
With the likes of Simon Mignolet and Thibaut Courtois to compete with on the international stage, there’s little chance of Sels being first-choice next summer but he could make the squad.
