Newcastle United transfer news: The Magpies have been linked with a shock move for a Barcelona star.
The Magpies have one of the best defensive records in the Premier League so far this season, with Nick Pope currently leading the charts for the Golden Glove. Pope is Eddie Howe’s first-choice goalkeeper but faces fresh competition from Aaron Ramsdale after he joined Newcastle United on-loan from Southampton during the summer transfer window.
Ramsdale’s move to St James’ Park was confirmed in the weeks after they missed out on signing James Trafford from Burnley. The Magpies had tracked Trafford for over a year, but saw their attempts to finally secure his signature end in disappointment when he instead moved to Manchester City.
The Magpies do have an option to turn Ramsdale’s loan move into a permanent transfer at the end of this season. However, the former Arsenal man has played just once since his move to Tyneside and faces a tough task in displacing Pope as number one.
Newcastle United linked with shock Ter Stegen transfer
Despite having an option to extend Ramsdale’s stay on Tyneside, reports in Spain have indicated that Newcastle United have shown an interest in signing the Barcelona man this summer. Ter Stegen is currently sidelined with injury and reportedly does not have a future at the La Liga giants even when he returns to fitness.
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Barcelona signed Espanyol stopper Joan Garcia this summer, with the young Spaniard immediately being inserted as Hansi Flick’s first-choice. Garcia played the full match at St James’ Park last month as Barcelona triumphed 2-1 in the opening game of the Champions League league phase.
Ter Stegen, because of his injury, did not feature in that game and has been left out of Flick’s squad for the Champions League this season. Fichajes, meanwhile, report that the German could be on his way to St James’ Park this summer, stating: ‘Newcastle has already shown interest and could make offers in January’.
The report does state, however, that Ter Stegen may have to take a pay cut to move to Newcastle United but that could be offset by him once again playing regularly as a number one - something that is unlikely to happen if he remains at Barcelona.
Reports like this from Spain, however, must be taken with a pinch of salt. Signing Ramsdale this summer may only appear like a temporary fix to their goalkeeping options, but it showed an intent to lower the age of that department as well as prepare a long-term replacement for Pope.
Signing Trafford, who only turned 23 this week, was intended to be that long-term solution. 27-year-old Ramsdale bridges that gap between Pope and a younger option and could be a medium-term solution.
Ter Stegen, meanwhile, will be 34-years-old before the current campaign comes to an end and is just eleven days younger than Pope, hardly fitting the age profile of goalkeepers that the Magpies will be targeting when the future transfer windows open.
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