Newcastle United are now considering a move to sign a James Trafford alternative in what would deal Chelsea and Bayern Munich a frustrating blow.
Howe "desperate" to get back on track at Newcastle
It's been a tough old season for Newcastle. Since the summer, Eddie Howe has been dealt several unavoidable problems - starting with Alexander Isak's decision to go on strike to secure a record-breaking move to Liverpool.
The Swede's exit was inevitable, but Newcastle still found themselves scrambling for options and left it late to sign Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa. Their frontline, as a result, has been inconsistent.
One aspect of Newcastle's season which has not been disappointing, however, is their Champions League form. The Magpies advanced to the last 16 earlier this week with a 9-3 thrashing of Qarabag on aggregate, sending an emphatic statement.
After continuing their Champions League form, Howe admitted that he's "desperate" to get back on track in the Premier League - telling reporters: "Of course we want to be in Europe every season and the best way for us to get there is to try to win as many games as we can.
"Our Premier League form, we’re desperate to get that back on track. We need to get that back on track, we need to get in that feeling of winning regularly. That’s the only thing that’s going to help us when we return to the Champions League.
"This competition is an amazing thing for us this year, and you just never know what surprises football can bring you. We’ll just attack everything and try to do our best."
Newcastle United players pose for a team group photo before the match Related
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The Magpies have made contact about a deal for a midfielder.
Qualifying for European football would also go a long way to easing Newcastle's PSR fears, especially with Squad Cost Ratio coming into play next season.
It would allow them to focus on finally solving their long-term goalkeeper problem, be it by signing Trafford from Manchester City or an alternative option.
Newcastle considering Bart Verbruggen move
As reported by the i Paper, Newcastle are now considering a move to sign Bart Verbruggen in the summer, who would be an alternative to Trafford.
bart-verbruggen-premier-league-brighton
The latter has been on the Magpies' radar since last summer, when it looked as though he was on his way to Tyneside before Man City swooped in. Now, a year later, the door could be open for the goalkeeper again after he's fallen down the pecking order behind Gianluigi Donnarumma.
But he's now not the only option on Newcastle's shortlist. Verbruggen is now an option and that could spark a fierce battle with Premier League rivals Chelsea. The Blues are also reportedly interested in the Brighton goalkeeper, despite the improved form of Robert Sanchez so far this season.
PL stats 25/26 Bart Verbruggen Nick Pope
Minutes 2,430 1,877
Save Percentage 69.1% 69.1%
Saves 76 65
Pass Completion Rate 77.6% 61.1%
It's easy to see why Verbruggen is an option to replace Pope. The numbers suggest that he would not be a drop-off when it comes to shot-stopping all whilst providing Howe with a modern-day goalkeeper in possession.
Dubbed "unbelievable" by Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, the 23-year-old is one to watch as Newcastle look to hijack Chelsea's potential summer move.