Newcastle are set to sign former Bolton goalkeeper Jake Turner on a free transfer, according to journalist Alan Nixon.
The Sun journalist revealed that the Magpies are set to complete a move for the goalkeeper, who left the League One club this summer after his recent two-year-deal expired.
Nixon wrote on his personal Twitter account that the deal to sign Turner would be a ‘shrewd one’ after the young stopper was a top prospect only a year ago.
Newcastle. Snapping up young keeper Jake Turner. Leaving Bolton. Top prospect year or so back. Had injury. Shrewd one.
— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) July 27, 2019
The 20-year-old was rewarded with a two-year-deal in 2017 after attracting interest from both Manchester United and Everton and was not included in Bolton’s end of season list of contracted players at the end of the last campaign.
OPINION
This would be a smart addition from Steve Bruce, but one that is more than likely being used to strengthen the club’s academy. Nixon describes Turner as a top prospect who would represent a shrewd piece of business by the Magpies, and the 20-year-old would arrive at St James’ Park with international experience having featured for England at both under-18’s and under 19’s level. Turner has suffered recent injuries and was never really given the chance to break through at the Macron Stadium, with the young prospect only having featured six times on the team sheet – all of those leading to Turner being an unused substitution in the Championship for Phil Parkinson. Any free transfer will be judged, but the decision to snap up Turner could be a masterstroke by Newcastle, who clearly hold the youngster in high regards, with them giving the keeper a second chance to succeed. With Manchester United and Everton once holding an interest in the youngster, the talent is clearly there – it is just a case of harnessing that talent to give him the best chance of succeeding in the coming years.
