‘Newcastle United plan to accept Nick Pope offer’, top replacement lined up
Newcastle United will listen to offers for Nick Pope in the summer after concerns about his performances and recovery from his recent injury.
That is according to former Man United and Sunderland chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the 32-year-old’s future at the club is now uncertain.
However, any deal for his exit will depend on whether the club can bring in an adequate replacement for him as they do not want to be caught short in the market.
Links with a move to sign Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford have led supporters to insist Newcastle should let Pope leave in search of being the number-one elsewhere.
The goalkeeper missed seven games with a knee injury between 14 December and 18 January, following a long absence of 29 games between December 2023 and May 2024.
His recurring injury issues in recent years have led to concerns at St James’ Park, while there is a feeling he has struggled to get back to 100 per cent following his recent blow.
Newcastle plot move to sign Nick Pope replacement after exit twist
Pope has been a regular between the sticks at Newcastle since his arrival from Burnley in 2022, but there is a growing feeling they could now improve in his position.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that the Magpies’ scouting department have already begun searching for alternatives.
“Newcastle will be open to offers for Pope in the summer,” he told Football Insider.
“I think they’re going to look to upgrade on him in the transfer market, if they can.
“The problem with that is, it’s easy to say they want to improve in that position, but there isn’t exactly a warehouse full of top-level goalkeeper available to them.
“It isn’t as simple as that.
“Newcastle’s scouting team are working hard to identify replacements, but there are multiple factors to it.
“They have to be better than Pope to make the deal worth it, they have to be available and for the right price, and they have to want to move to Newcastle.
“But this decision is one they’ve been considering over the course of a few months now.
“He hasn’t quite got back to the standard he was before these injury issues he’s had in the last couple of seasons, and I’m still not convinced he’s at 100 per cent.
“So that will be a concern from them and will play a part in their decision-making.
“If somebody comes in for him in the summer, I think they’ll be prepared to let him go.
“But they won’t do if without signing a replacement first, otherwise they’re taking a big risk.”
Eddie Howe’s transfer priority emerges ahead of the summer window
While work has already begun on finding a replacement for Pope and improving between the sticks, the Magpies are still establishing their priorities in the market.
Football Insider revealed on 14 February that they are prioritising a deal for a new right-winger amid interest in PSV forward Johan Bakayoko.
Howe is also keen on Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, who could be available for around £50million, as they continue to weigh up a number of options in the position.
However, financial concerns are lingering at St James Park, and any big-money signings could be put on hold until the situation becomes more clear.
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