According to Saudi Arabian news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat, Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka will leave the club after the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday.
The Magpies return to action tomorrow evening and remain in the capital after their confident victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, with the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Arsenal at the Emirates.
Eddie Howe will lead his team into the semi-final off the back of an unbelievable five-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, and will be hopeful that the confidence shown in recent weeks will translate into the challenging fixture in North London.
Newcastle will be without Fabian Schar and on-field captain Bruno Guimaraes for their visit to the Emirates due to booking-related suspensions, which will definitely dampen the supporters’ confidence, as the pair have played a crucial part in the team’s consistency.
However, the outstanding U-turn in the attacking prowess shown over the last few games will surely give Arsenal’s defence a lot of trouble over the 90-minute clash, with Alexander Isak in fine form at present.
While the semi-final will be the top priority for Howe, the St James’ Park faithful will have one eye on the January transfer window as there has been a growing expectation for business to be done after a disappointing summer window.
Fresh reports coming out of Saudi Arabia are claiming that Martin Dubravka will play his last ever game in a Newcastle shirt against Arsenal on Tuesday evening, as he is set to imminently join the Saudi Pro League.
Saudi Arabian news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat reveal that the shot-stopper will fulfil his final duties at the Emirates in place of injured Nick Pope before jetting off to sign for Al-Shabab.
It is further noted that Saudi Pro League club were keen on acquiring the Slovakian’s signature sooner, however, with Pope unavailable it was pushed back so that Newcastle could depend on his services at this crucial stage of their campaign.
When is Nick Pope back from injury?
It would be inconceivable that Newcastle would let go of Dubravka if Pope is not ready to come back into the first team, although a clash with Bromley in the FA Cup is the next fixture for the Magpies, so Howe might opt for another keeper in the squad.
Speaking before the clash with Spurs on Saturday afternoon, Howe did confirm that Pope was back training on the grass, so a come back is likely to be imminent for Newcastle’s undisputed number one.
There is no doubt that, when fit, Pope is the trusted first-team keeper for Howe and with Dubravka – once hailed “impressive” by Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton set to be out of contract in the summer, it makes perfect sense to make any financial gain possible on the 35-year-old to boost transfer funds.
Indeed, there will be an element of concern for Newcastle fans as Pope is no stranger to picking up injuries over the course of the season, however, there are three other keepers on the books – Odysseas Vlachodimos, John Ruddy and Mark Gillespie.
The trio are not ideal selections for first team Premier League and the latter stages of domestic cup competitions, but could be extremely useful in the opening FA Cup rounds if the Geordies progress and the draws beyond Bromley are kind, giving Pope an opportunity to rest.
With that being said, from a financial perspective it is a great piece of business for the club to complete given Dubravka’s upcoming contract expiry, but in the same breath could be risky if Pope can’t stay fit for the rest of the season.
What a farce. .
In the middle of a great run they are thinking about losing our goalkeeper who has been instrumental in our recent success
Are these people mad unsettling the team in such good form
Dubravka hasn’t put a foot wrong which settles the whole defence.please use your brains and see sense the team must come first.