Newcastle United are continuing to look for Nick Pope’s long-term successor at St James’ Park.
They thought they had found him in James Trafford, but that pursuit ended in tears. Trafford joined Manchester City instead of the Magpies, who turned their attention to Aaron Ramsdale.
The Toon loanee has barely featured for his new club, with Nick Pope retaining the faith of Eddie Howe.
That faith is now being tested, with Pope’s error against Marseille on Tuesday night costing his team. It is the third away game in a row that the 33-year-old has made a mistake, leading to calls for him to be dropped.
All the while, the Newcastle United recruitment team continue to scour the market for potential reinforcements.
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Newcastle United scout Toulouse goalkeeper
Despite having the option to sign Ramsdale permanently from Southampton, the Magpies continue to look at other options they could pursue in 2026.
According to the i Paper, Newcastle United have continued to scout ‘younger alternatives’ to Ramsdale.
The report adds that one of the players who Newcastle United have scouted in Guillaume Restes, who plays for Ligue 1 side Toulouse.
Despite only being 20-years-old, Restes is currently in his third season as Toulouse’s first choice goalkeeper. He already has a lot of experience for someone so young, having represented the French side in Europe too.
With Ross Wilson changing Newcastle United’s transfer strategy, Restes certainly ticks all of the right boxes. Signing him would be a calculated risk, investing in an extremely promising player with even more potential.
Aaron Ramsdale deserves a chance
Before Newcastle United do decide to move for an alternative, Aaron Ramsdale deserves an opportunity to prove he can be Eddie Howe’s first choice stopper.
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His only two Toon starts have come in the Carabao Cup, with Ramsdale playing particularly well in the fourth round win over Tottenham Hotspur. However, he immediately returned to the bench for the following Premier League game.
But with Pope struggling, Ramsdale feels closer than ever to getting a run in the Newcastle United starting XI.
His opportunity could come on Saturday when Newcastle face Everton, with Eddie Howe facing a seismic decision with regards to Pope and Ramsdale.
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