Micky Quinn heaped praise on goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and claimed that Newcastle United simply must sign him this summer.
The 6ft 3in shot-stopper spent the second half of the season on loan at St James Park from Sparta Prague, and can be signed for just £4million, as reported by the Chronicle, if the club exercise an option that was included in his loan deal.
The retired Magpies forward gushed about the 29-year-old goalkeeper, when handing out his end of year awards, and didn’t have a bad word to say about him.
“It has to be (when naming signing of the season),” said Quinn, as quoted by the Chronicle.
“Since Dubravka arrived in January, he’s been a revelation, he honestly looks like he’s been Newcastle No 1 for years.
“His ball-playing ability and vocal nature make him someone his team-mates are comfortable playing in front of and he has helped improve the defence.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Newcastle simply have to sign the Slovakia international this summer.”
OPINION
Dubravka featured 12 times for the Magpies while on loan at the club and showed why Benitez needs to sign him permanently as soon as possible. The colossus keeper conceded 11 goals in his outings and registered four clean sheets to help the Magpies secure their Premier League status. It would have been a much harder task for Rafa Benitez to keep his side in England’s top-flight if the goalkeeper hadn’t arrived when he did. The Magpies previously lacked a safe pair hands in the first half of the campaign and that saw them drop vital points. While the Magpies could do with improving their attacking threat, there’s no denying that a team has to stop shipping goals before it can move forward. Dubravka’s presence stops needless goals being leaked and it’s hard to see how the club will find someone better on the transfer market to sign for £4million. Quinn’s advice should be taken and the club must snap up the goalkeeper for that bargain price in the summer.
