Nick Pope's Newcastle future is clear after surprise transfer news
Nick Pope will surely wait for his Newcastle contract to expire next summer as Bayern Munich register their interest in his services.
Pope has fallen down the pecking order at Newcastle this season under Matthias Jaissle as he approaches the end of his contract in June 2027.
The 34-year-old struggled for form last season and was told to leave over the summer, with rumours still persisting over a possible January exit.
Newcastle signed Ewen Jaouen and Lukas Hornicek to bolster their goalkeeping department for this season, with the latter now Jaissle's clear number one.
Pope's future is up in the air as he fights for his place in the Magpies' starting eleven, but shock interest from a club as big as Bayern makes an exit feel inevitable next summer.
Bayern are looking for an experienced stopper to replace Manuel Neuer as they plan for Jonas Urbig to be their long-term number one.
He is yet to feature competitively under new boss Jaissle, but has been in the Magpies' matchday squad on several occasions due to Jaouen's persistent injury troubles.
Sources have revealed to Football Insider that Pope will explore his options in the January window and could leave if he feels he has no chance of returning to the Newcastle starting eleven.
Sky Germany have claimed this week that German giants Bayern have shortlisted Pope as a target ahead of his contract expiry next summer.
He would surely jump at the chance to feature for such a historic, notable club, even as a backup to the highly-rated Urbig.
Legendary keeper Neuer is only set to leave next summer, though, and so Pope would have to wait beyond January to be in with a chance of securing a dream move.
This development makes a longer stay at Newcastle until next June feel inevitable for Pope, with the chance to dictate his own future as a free agent surely too good to pass up.
Bayern will surely not be the only sizeable club eyeing his services as an experienced second-choice on a free transfer, with a mid-season move unlikely to yield such exciting opportunities.
Which other goalkeepers are on Bayern's shortlist?
Pope is not the only current Premier League stopper being eyed by Bayern as a cut-price addition.
Sky Germany state that Fulham keeper Bernd Leno is also on their radar, with his contract set to expire in 2027, although the capital club have the option to extend by another year.
Hoffenheim and Germany star Oliver Baumann is another option, while high-profile stoppers like Koen Casteels, Lukas Hradecky and Juan Musso are also on Bayern's radar.