Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe addresses Martin Dubravka's future after transfer 'offer'
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has dropped a big hint that he isn't prepared to cash in on Martin Dubravka in the January sales - despite the possibility of losing the star for nothing next summer.
Talk of a deal already being agreed in principle with Al-Shabab in the Saudi Pro League has dominated the agenda in recent days. But Howe dismissed such talk in the build-up to the 3-0 win over Aston Villa and now wants Dubravka focused on the task in hand against the club he was loaned out to in 2022/23.
Speaking ahead of Dubravka's return to Old Trafford, Howe, who will have Nick Pope ruled out for the early part of January, said: "I'm very pleased with Martin. It's never easy to come in for a goalkeeper in any situation when you haven't played for a while because it's about rhythm and it's about confidence, but Martin has picked it up from minute one.
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"He's distributed the ball really, really well – that's been a huge thing in his game that's always been there. Against Aston Villa [on Boxing Day], I think back to a number of aerial claims, catches that he's taken under pressure – he's dealt with that aspect really well too, so I'm really pleased with Martin."
Howe also insisted that there has been no fuss kicked up by the 35-year-old former Sparta Prague stopper. He said: "I'd say he is low maintenance, which is great from my perspective.
"He's not someone that needs a massive amount of contact time from me. He works really, really hard with the goalkeeper coaches in his training. [Head of goalkeeping] Adam [Bartlett] and [first team goalkeeper coach] Shwan [Jalal] care about all the goalkeepers that they have.
"Of course, they at times have to prioritise the work with the goalkeeper that's playing, but I see Martin at his maximum level every day and because of that training and attitude, then when he does get to come into the team, he can hit the ground running as he has."
