JUST WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE NICK POPE HAD PLAYED HIS LAST GAME FOR NEWCASTLE… A SHOCK RETURN COULD NOW BE ON THE CARDS!
In one of the most unexpected twists of the summer, the experienced goalkeeper could find himself back on the Newcastle United bench this weekend — just weeks after it appeared his future at St James’ Park was effectively over.
Pope, 34, was made available for transfer throughout the summer as Newcastle looked to reshape their goalkeeping options. With Matthias Jaissle taking over as head coach and the club signing Lukas Hornicek from Braga, the writing appeared to be on the wall for the former England international.
Since Jaissle’s appointment, Pope has not been included in a single Newcastle matchday squad.
It seemed increasingly clear that the club wanted to move forward without him.
But football has a habit of producing unexpected twists.
Despite Newcastle making Pope available for transfer, the club were unable to find a suitable buyer before the English transfer window closed. As a result, the goalkeeper remains on Tyneside and is still officially part of Newcastle’s Premier League squad.
And now, an injury to another goalkeeper could completely change the situation.
Second-choice goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen suffered an ankle injury during training on the eve of Newcastle’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at St James’ Park.
The 20-year-old French goalkeeper, who only joined Newcastle from Stade de Reims in June, is expected to undergo an MRI scan to determine the seriousness of the injury.
The good news is that the injury is not currently believed to be serious, and Newcastle are hopeful Jaouen could recover in time to potentially start Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup match against Millwall.
However, if Jaouen is unavailable for Saturday’s meeting with Bournemouth, Newcastle may suddenly have to reconsider their goalkeeping options on the bench.
And that could open the door for Nick Pope.
The 34-year-old could be recalled to the matchday squad for the first time under Jaissle, potentially taking his place among the substitutes at St James’ Park.
It would be a remarkable turnaround.
Not long ago, Pope appeared to be heading towards the exit door. He had been made available for transfer and was seemingly no longer part of Jaissle’s immediate plans.
Now, circumstances could see him back involved with the first team.
With the majority of European transfer windows now closed, Pope is also increasingly likely to remain at Newcastle until at least January.
There are still a few markets where transfers are possible, including Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Turkey and Portugal, but a late move is far from certain.
Jaissle has already admitted that he has spoken directly with Pope about his situation and made it clear that any transfer would depend on more than simply Newcastle making a decision.
The player himself, his representatives and the interested club would all need to agree on a deal.
For the time being, Jaissle has made it clear that Pope remains a member of his squad.
The Newcastle head coach has also praised Pope for his professionalism and the way he has handled a difficult situation.
That experience could now become extremely useful.
Pope has spent years playing at the highest level of English football and has plenty of experience dealing with the pressure that comes with being Newcastle’s goalkeeper.
If Jaouen is unavailable, Newcastle could also look towards Mark Gillespie or Aidan Harris.
However, neither goalkeeper has played a minute of Premier League football for Newcastle.
Pope, on the other hand, knows the club, knows the stadium, knows the league and has already experienced the pressure of playing in front of a packed St James’ Park.
Of course, his potential involvement does not necessarily mean his long-term situation has changed.
This could simply be an emergency return caused by injury.
But it is still a fascinating development.
A player who appeared destined to leave Newcastle this summer could now unexpectedly find himself sitting on the bench against Bournemouth.
And if circumstances force Jaissle to call upon him during the match, Pope could potentially find himself back between the posts sooner than anyone expected.
From transfer-listed goalkeeper to potential matchday substitute in the space of a few weeks.
Football really can change in an instant.
