Saudi Pro League outfit Al Shabab are closing in on the signature of Newcastle United shot-stopper Martin Dubravka.
According to a report from Arriyadiyah, Martin Dubravka is on the verge of joining Al Shabab. The Saudi Pro League outfit are looking to reinforce the goalkeeping position on a priority basis in January and the Newcastle shot-stopper is quite high on their wishlist.
On the back of his impressive performances for Sparta Prague, Dubravka made the move to the Tyneside club at the start of 2018. It was an initial loan move that became permanent six months down the line.
The Slovakian international has been an important player for Newcastle over the years. He has featured in 165 matches for them and has kept a clean sheet in 48 of those outings.
While Dubravka was a key figure in their first team in the initial years, he has gone down the pecking order of late. He recently had a loan spell at Manchester United. Nick Pope has taken over as their first choice since arriving in the summer of 2022. The 35-year-old goalkeeper has only made two appearances for them in the ongoing campaign.
The lack of game time has frustrated Dubravka and he could look to part ways with the club in the upcoming transfer window. With his contract running out, the upcoming window could be Newcastle’s final opportunity to cash in on him.
Will Dubravka move to the Saudi Pro League?
Al Shabab have emerged as a potential destination for the 35-year-old. They lost their number one Kim Seung-Gyu to an ACL injury early in the season and now want to bring in someone who can challenge Abdullah Al-Mayouf for a place in the starting XI.
They feel the Slovakian international still has a lot of football left in him and are willing to bet on him. Club officials have already started taking steps towards his potential signing. They have been in talks with the player’s representatives as they look to strike a deal early in the winter window.
While they also seem to be interested in the services of Keylor Navas, signing Dubravka might be easier as he is currently part of a PIF-owned club in Newcastle.