Newcastle United back up goalkeeper Karl Darlow has held discussions with the club over an extension to his current contract, according to The Chronicle.
The newspaper claims that the 28-year-old has been in communication with the club over a new deal, although nothing has been signed as of yet.
This is despite the Englishman making just one appearance for the team this season, all the way back in August in a Carabao Cup defeat to Championship side Nottingham Forest.
However, as nothing has yet been finalised, The Chronicle assert that the Magpies may yet look to sell the keeper this summer in order to cash in on him before his contract expires at the end of next season.
OPINION
This snippet of information is a bit surprising considering that Darlow clearly hasn’t done too much to push first choice Martin Dubravka this season. Yes, Darlow’s had some injury problems, but even when he’s been fit there’s never really been any indication that the Slovakian was about to lose his starting spot. Having said that, back up goalkeepers are valuable commodities. Darlow has proven that he can come in and do a job at Premier League level. So, while he’s not as good as someone like Dubravka, he is a more than serviceable number two. It probably then comes down to whether he is happy continuing in that role or not. If he signs a contract extension then he’s submitting himself to another couple of years on the substitute’s bench. He might be happy with that, there are certainly a lot of professional goalkeepers who are. But at 28 you feel like now is the time for Darlow to get away from Newcastle and start playing regularly again. If he wants to do that then the Magpies will surely set him free this summer.
