Celtic want Newcastle United star who has just signed a new contract, Eddie Howe could green light exit

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Newcastle United are expected to lose some of their longstanding players in favour of new arrivals this summer.

The Magpies’ first team squad has been through a big period of change since the takeover in 2021, but the upcoming transfer window could be the biggest yet.

Sporting director Paul Mitchell will be put to the test from June until the end of August to get Eddie Howe the players he needs to consistently finish in a high Premier League position.

Newcastle United are currently fifth in the league, with a game in hand over the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City around them. Fifth place is enough for Champions League qualification, but the Newcastle players are keen to finish as high up the table as possible with eight games to go.

The belief is that Champions League football will be game-changing for Newcastle, with Mitchell more likely to land his desired transfer targets if Howe takes the club back to Europe’s top competitions.

Several players are tipped to leave the club this summer, with the likes of Callum Wilson and Jamaal Lascelles the biggest names facing the music. Now, a new transfer report has claimed that a Newcastle player who only just signed a contract extension has interest from a league outside of England.

Celtic reignite transfer interest in Martin Dubravka

Martin Dubravka received some unexpected game time in the Premier League this season after Nick Pope suffered a knee injury during the winter months. The Slovakian took his opportunity to prove to Howe he was still a good candidate for the number one spot well, keeping five clean sheets in 10 appearances.

However, Dubravka has been demoted to the bench now that Pope is fit and is unlikely to receive any more minutes in the league this season. Dubravka signed a new deal at Newcastle alongside defender Emil Krafth, but according to the Chronicle, he could be heading out the door this summer.

The report states that Celtic are interested in Dubravka, despite the Hoops recently handing Kasper Schmeichel his own contract extension.

Newcastle are eyeing a move for James Trafford in the summer, so with five goalkeepers on the books already there needs to be losses before bringing the Burnley shot-stopper in.

A positive for Howe and Mitchell is that Dubravka’s new contract eliminates the risk of losing the 36-year-old on a free transfer, they can still demand a fee for him from interested parties.

• READ MORE – Eddie Howe in dreamland as Newcastle United granted £65m discount on ‘world-class talent’

Celtic nearly signed Martin Dubravka in 2024

This is not the first time Celtic have come in for the Newcastle star. Celtic held talks with Dubravka during the 2024 summer transfer window after Joe Hart retired from professional football.

It looked like Newcastle were finally saying goodbye to the player signed by Rafa Benitez in 2018, but Dubravka’s move to Celtic broke down when they announced the signing of Schmeichel that same summer.

Despite the failed move last summer, it looks increasingly likely that Dubravka will leave Newcastle at the end of the season in favour of a younger goalkeeper who can challenge Pope for a spot in the starting line-up.

In January, Dubravka nearly left Newcastle for Al-Shabab. The goalkeeper had even begun packing his bags before Howe managed to convince him to stay on Tyneside for a few more months.

The decision to stay turned out to be a great one, as he helped Newcastle reach the Carabao Cup final and picked up a winners’ medal at Wembley.