Aidan Harris has joined Coleraine on loan from Newcastle United. (Photo by Dylan Kirkpatrick/Coleraine FC)placeholder image
Aidan Harris has joined Coleraine on loan from Newcastle United. (Photo by Dylan Kirkpatrick/Coleraine FC)
Newcastle United have confirmed more movement in the goalkeeping department.
Newcastle have already signed Aaron Ramsdale on loan from Southampton this summer while Martin Dubravka has left to join Burnley and Odysseas Vlachodimos is closing in on a loan move to Sevilla.
And The Magpies have now confirmed another goalkeeper exit with Under-21s shot-stopper Aidan Harris joining Northern Ireland Premiership side Coleraine FC on loan until January 2026.
Coleraine finished fifth in the NIFL Premiership last season but missed out on European qualification after losing a Conference League play-off final match to Cliftonville, who finished seventh. Cliftonville have already been knocked out of the Conference League at the first qualifying round stage after losing to Gibraltar-based side St Joseph's.
Harris has some European experience of sorts having being named on the bench in Newcastle’s 0-0 Champions League group stage draw at AC Milan at the San Siro back in 2023.
The 18-year-old joined Newcastle’s academy in 2017 and made his debut at Under-21s level against Wrexham in the EFL Trophy. He featured in front of almost 8,000 fans in a 1-0 defeat at the Racecourse Ground back in 2023 before being drafted into The Magpies’ Champions League squad for the trip to Milan.
Harris featured for the first team for the first time in an 8-0 friendly defeat to the A-League All-Stars last year and also claimed the Wor Jackie award given to the the club’s ‘young player of the year’.
Newcastle United goalkeeper makes impressive start at new club
Harris was put straight into the Coleraine starting line-up for their league opener at home to Larne on Sunday, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.
Following the match, Harris shared an image of the result on social media along with the caption: “Three points and a clean sheet.”
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Aidan Harris reflects on NUFC loan exit
Reflecting on his move to Northern Ireland, Harris said via the Coleraine club website: “I’ve been really excited to try and come over here.
“I’m quite settled now and I’m getting my car on Wednesday, so I’ll be perfect now.
“It’s a big change obviously moving from England to here. However, it’s not too different in terms of the type of days we have, coming for breakfast and stuff like that – so I’ve fitted in quite well.
“I’ve been at Newcastle for about seven or eight years now. It’s been brilliant, I’ve had chances to be with the first team when I was on the bench against Milan in the Champions League.
“I then made my debut out in Australia for the first team against the A-League All-Stars.
“I was playing U18-21s football quite young, so I’m pretty mature for my age. It’s a big step up playing men’s football…but I feel like I’m ready for it.”
Reflecting on the changes in Newcastle’s goalkeeping department, Harris added: “Martin’s gone now and Aaron has just come in.
“It’s brilliant as you learn so much from watching them. You don’t really have to talk to them and ask them questions, but I do, obviously, to find out deeper into stuff.
“I feel like they’ve helped me a lot. Martin always took me under his wing and spoke to me and tried to coach me whilst I was training up there.”
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