“Eddie Howe confirms Newcastle star is staying at St. James’ Park”
Martin Dubravka faces fresh competition for his place at Newcastle United.
Since stepping in for the injured Nick Pope in December, Martin Dubravka has delivered outstanding performances for Newcastle United.
His form has been so impressive that the club blocked a potential move to Saudi Arabia, choosing to keep him as a key part of the squad.
With Pope returning to the bench for Newcastle’s match against Southampton, manager Eddie Howe now faces a difficult decision.
Given Dubravka’s consistency and the club’s change of stance on his future, dropping him would seem harsh.
However, Pope has been Howe’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper since arriving from Burnley.
On Friday, Howe provided an update on Dubravka’s situation at Newcastle. The manager confirmed that the club is in discussions with the Slovakian international over a new contract.
Importantly, Dubravka has not sought guarantees about a starting role, despite reports suggesting he wanted assurances that he would be able to compete with Pope for the No.1 spot.
Addressing the speculation, Howe clarified: “Martin won’t leave.
We’re in discussions over a new contract, and hopefully, we’ll reach a swift conclusion.
But he hasn’t asked for any guarantees about his place—he’s just focused on staying in the team and performing well.”
Dubravka’s performances this season have been statistically strong, even outshining Pope in key areas.
Although Newcastle’s overall improvement since Pope’s injury at Brentford should not be overlooked, Dubravka’s individual stats highlight his contributions.
He has a higher save percentage (80.0% vs. 71.2%), a better clean sheet percentage (62.5% vs. 20.0%), and superior pass completion (80.0% vs. 71.2%) compared to the England international.
These figures do not necessarily mean Dubravka is the better goalkeeper, but they do underscore the dilemma facing Howe.
Retaining him as the starter would not just be a reward for his loyalty but a decision based on merit. At 36, Dubravka is proving his worth at the highest level.
He is expected to start for Newcastle against Fulham, but what happens beyond that remains an intriguing storyline.
