Newcastle
Mick Brown
Fri 7 March 2025 19:00, UK
Nick Pope is edging closer to a move away from Newcastle United as clubs are now believed to be lining up offers for his signature.
That is according to former Man United and Sunderland chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the 32-year-old is now likely to leave St James’ Park this summer.
A number of Premier League sides have been put on alert by the Magpies’ low asking price and are prepared to enter the race to agree a deal.
This comes after Football Insider revealed that Newcastle will accept offers for Pope if they meet their £10-15million asking price come the end of the season.
Concerns about his recent injury issues have forced the club to consider their options in the transfer market to find a new long-term number-one.
The goalkeeper missed seven games with a knee injury between 14 December and 18 January, following a long absence of 29 games between December 2023 and May 2024.
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However, that is not expected to have deterred interest in the goalkeeper who was a regular England international until his exclusion from Lee Carsley’s squad in November.
Nick Pope arriving for a Newcastle game
Photo Credit: Imago
Newcastle plan to accept ‘£10-15m’ offer for Nick Pope
Brown told Football Insider on 25 February that Newcastle plan to sell Pope as long as they are able to sign a replacement for him amid interest in Burnley’s James Trafford.
Now, the former scout who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that “any side that’s looking for a goalkeeper” will be interested.
“*Clubs will be lining up in the summer to sign him for that price,*” he told Football Insider.
“£10-15million seems like a reasonable asking price for him, I think that’s going to have put a few clubs on alert about a possible deal.
“Any side that’s looking for a new goalkeeper is going to be interested.
“Whether that’s the promoted clubs, or even current Premier League sides looking to upgrade.
“Let’s not forget he’s been in England squads until quite recently.
“His injury record and perhaps some declining performances mean Newcastle don’t see him as their long-term goalkeeper any more, but I don’t think other clubs will be put off by that.
“It looks likely now that he will be leaving because like I say, at that price there’s going to be interest.”
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe applauding
Photo Credit: Imago
Eddie Howe plotting move to sign Burnley star James Trafford
If Pope does leave Newcastle as expected this summer, they are putting plans in place to identify his potential replacement so they are not caught short.
Brown told Football Insider on 27 February that they Newcastle scouts have been watching James Trafford this season in preparation for a summer move.
Brown compared the Burnley man to Everton and England star Jordan Pickford given his strengths lie in distribution and shot-stopping rather than dominating his area.
There is a feeling that the deal will be a simple one for Newcastle to pull off if Scott Parker’s Burnley side fail to earn promotion from the Championship.
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