Newcastle United are set to announce yet another departure in the summer transfer window, this time with a player who Eddie Howe did not even want.
Despite a lack of incomings, the Magpies have been busy across multiple avenues in the transfer window. New signings have undoubtedly been the priority, but player sales have also been on Eddie Howe’s agenda.
The likes of Callum Wilson and Jamal Lewis were released by Newcastle United in July, although the former was offered a new, incentivised deal. Sean Longstaff left Newcastle for Leeds United just before the start of pre-season, but his replacement is yet to be found.
Elsewhere, it was recently confirmed that Martin Dubravka has joined Burnley on a permanent deal following seven-and-a-half years on Tyneside. Howe paid tribute to Dubravka, who left Newcastle with the hope of playing more first-team football elsewhere.
The exits are not stopping, with goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos in Spain for a medical with Sevilla. The 31-year-old is set to join on loan, and new details about the deal have now been released.
Odysseas Vlachodimos arrives in South Korea ahead of a friendly between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Photo by Harriet Massey/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Odysseas Vlachodimos will return to Newcastle United after Sevilla loan spell
It is fair to say that Vlachodimos’ first season on Tyneside was a nightmare. The Greece international played just 45 minutes of football for the Magpies, a second-half substitute appearance against AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup.
Vlachodimos rejected a move to Liga MX side Pumas earlier this summer, with his goal to continue playing in Europe for a top club. It looks as though he has got his wish, as a move to La Liga side Sevilla is as good as done.
Newcastle are reluctant to sell Vlachodimos due to the £20million they paid for him in 2024, so a loan is the best option at this point. According to The Athletic, the deal is just a straight loan for Vlachodimos, with no option to buy or any clauses which would make his loan move permanent.
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Additionally, Newcastle are paying the majority of Vlachodimos’ wages, so there is very little benefit for the Magpies other than an extra space in their squad.
Vlachodimos will be back on Tyneside next summer, where the issues over his future will come to light once again.
Odysseas Vlachodimos was always doomed to fail at Newcastle United
Newcastle fans will not be surprised to hear that Vlachodimos was not on Howe’s radar last year, with the deal only being done out of desperation due to lingering PSR concerns.
Vlachodimos is not part of Howe’s plans at Newcastle, so it is best for both parties that he leaves for the time being, with his long-term future being decided at a later date.
To make matters worse, Vlachodimos did not even feature during pre-season for Newcastle, despite the likes of Mark Gillespie getting a runout.
The move makes sense for the shot-stopper, who wants to ensure his place as Greece’s first-choice goalkeeper is secure ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America. It was just clear from the very start that he was not going to have a future on Tyneside, especially after the likes of John Ruddy were ahead of him in the pecking order.
Perhaps Vlachodimos can find success in Spain and make a name for himself, but for now, he should be away from Newcastle for the good of his career.