Burnley are set to double the salary of Newcastle target Nick Pope in order to keep the talented goalkeeper at Turf Moor next season.
Pope has been a revelation for the Clarets this term, stepping in for injured captain Tom Heaton and making the number one shirt his own with a string of brilliant displays for Sean Dyche’s side with 11 clean sheets to his name.
His form as earned a call-up to the England squad for the friendlies with Italy and the Netherlands this week, leaving Dyche with a dilemma now that Heaton is back from injury and Pope is wanted by Newcastle.
Rafa Benitez remains keen to strengthen the goalkeeping department at St James’ Park this summer, and while loanee Martin Dubravka is expected to sign permanently from Sparta Prague, the United boss would still like to have Pope on board.
Burnely are determined not to lose the 25-year-old and The Sun claim the Lancashire club will offer an improved £30,000-a-week contract to Pope who signed in 2016 from Charlton Athletic.
Whether that will deter Benitez is unclear, but obtaining a long-term first choice goalkeeper remains a priority for the Spaniard and Pope, who is relatively young for a keeper, could conceivably be in post for the next 10 years on Tyneside.
