Having just defeated Man United, Newcastle shockingly considered signing former Red Devils goalkeeper David de Gea after they unexpectedly lost Nick Pope due to injury.
Nick Pope, 31, could be out of action for up to five months after dislocating his shoulder in Newcastle’s 1-0 win over Manchester United on Saturday. The goalkeeper’s injury forced coach Eddie Howe to consider using Martin Dubravka, Loris Karius and Mark Gillespie.
Although they are both good No. 2 players, they are not No. 1 goalkeepers for a long time. Nick Pope’s long-term injury could force Eddie Howe to review the transfer market. De Gea, who won the Premier League’s Golden Glove award last season, has emerged as a possible target for the Champions League side.
De Gea, 33, is still a free agent after leaving Manchester United in July. The Spanish star has been training for the past five months and is expected to be ready to play if required. Saudi Arabia-backed Newcastle can also pay the Spiders a competitive salary.
According to the Daily Mail, De Gea is a realistic option for Newcastle due to his availability and pedigree. The champion played more than 400 matches in the Premier League and was named Manchester United Player of the Year four times.
It is believed that Newcastle are not willing to meet De Gea’s £375,000-a-week salary at Old Trafford, although he will still be well paid. The experienced star will also find it difficult to refuse the opportunity to become the number 1 goalkeeper in the Premier League again.
De Gea featured in all 38 of United’s Premier League matches last season, as well as the Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle in February. He won eight trophies during his time at Old Trafford, including the FA Cup and Europa League.
De Gea was released by Manchester United after Erik ten Hag bought Andre Onana worth £47 million from Inter Milan. However, the Cameroon international has struggled since leaving Inter Milan for England, conceding 14 goals in just five Champions League matches.
There are rumors that Manchester United could re-sign De Gea ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. Onana is expected to be part of the Cameroon squad and could miss some of the club’s matches. De Gea even posted a cryptic message on X (Twitter) after Saturday’s match.
TNT Sports interviewed coach Eddie Hove asking about Nick Pope’s injury after the win against Newcastle, he said: “It would be a big shock for us if he was ruled out for a long time. The injury looks harmless, but it often becomes more serious.
“You could see he was in trouble and it looked like Pope dislocated his shoulder as he launched to catch the ball. Martin Dubravka came on in a difficult situation in the 10th minute and almost conceded a goal, which is not good for anyone. any goalkeeper, so I have to praise him for doing very well.”