‘Advanced talks’: £5m Newcastle player is now very close to leaving

Add as preferred source on Google

Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow is set to depart the club, and is in advanced talks with Leeds United over a permanent transfer.

Darlow has been a very useful backup option over the years since his £5m move from Nottingham Forest in 2014, and made 100 appearances for the club across both the Premier League and Championship.

The Englishman now finds himself out of the picture at St James Park, with Nick Pope, Loris Karius and Martin Dubravka ahead of him in the pecking order, and is now set to return to the second division.

Journalist Graham Smyth has confirmed that Leeds are ready to sign the goalkeeper, who looked close to joining Bournemouth days ago, and Newcastle are in advanced talks over his exit.

“Leeds United are in advanced talks with Newcastle United for goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Permanent deal. Club didn’t feel Bournemouth was ever a done deal for the keeper last week, liked their chances and kept working on the deal,” he tweeted.

Will Darlow be missed?

The writing has been on the wall for Darlow for some time, having spent the second half of last season on loan at Hull City following the arrival of Karius, and he now wants a chance at regular football.

Darlow was a key figure as Newcastle were promoted back to the Premier League in 2017, making 34 appearances in the Championship, and has been a reliable backup option to the likes of Pope and Dubravka in recent seasons.

The goalkeeper did feature in pre-season for Newcastle, and was with the squad on the USA tour, but is now set to depart after nine years since he joined alongside Jamal Lascelles.

His most productive Premier League season came when he made 25 appearances in 2020-21, and overall he conceded 136 and kept 25 clean sheets in his 100 games for Newcastle.