Loris Karius is close to the exit door at Newcastle United with the German goalkeeper’s contract due to end in the summer – and Eddie Howe’s side have identified a replacement goalkeeper, from a rival side.
Karius, 30, joined Newcastle in 2022 but has since managed just two appearances for the Tyneside club. One of those was the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United, which Newcastle ended up losing.
Third-choice goalkeeper behind Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka, Karius is now set to leave in the summer for absolutely nothing. It is reported a decision has now been made on the former Liverpool goalkeeper.
It remains to be seen if Dubravka will remain, having previously left to join Manchester United on loan. With Pope – who is first choice – closing in on a return from injury, Dubravka may feel he needs to go.
Newcastle identify £4m replacement for Loris Karius
Newcastle will need a goalkeeper in the summer, then. The Telegraph claim Middlesbrough goalkeeper Seny Dieng has been identified as a replacement for the outgoing Karius, with £4m needed to get him.
Bought for £2m, the report says Boro will be hoping to get double that for a goalkeeper that only moved to The Riverside last summer. Senegal star Dieng missed out on the African Cup of Nations this year.
A thigh injury saw him miss the entire tournament, as well as seven league games. Dieng though, has kept nine clean sheets in 29 games for Michael Carrick’s side, who have underachieved this season.
Dieng is a smart option – but would he want Newcastle move?
The easy answer is to say, of course Dieng would want to move to Newcastle from a Championship side in Boro – who are struggling to make a late push for the play-offs. But, he would only be back-up.
If Newcastle qualify for the Conference League, he might be the man Newcastle play in goal in that competition and that could be enough for him. But, Dieng would have to see Dubravka leave as well.
Plenty needs to happen for Dieng to be convinced to join Newcastle but the lure of a big Premier League club likely to be in Europe will tempt him – a player Michael Carrick said can “go unnoticed at times”.
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