Newcastle favourites to sign this legendary Spaniard this summer: An ideal move for the Magpies?
Former Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas could be on the move after the end of the season, with Newcastle United being tipped as the favourites to sign up him this summer.
The current Porto keeper will be out of contract, meaning the Spaniard will be available for free this summer. The 36-year-old is reportedly stalling a new deal at Porto. However, the club president Jorge Nino Pinto da Costa has urged the Spaniard to stay at Porto amidst rumours linking to a move to Newcastle this summer.
Despite Martin Dubravka’s strong start to his life in the Premier League, head coach Rafa Benitez has firmly confessed his wish to sign an experienced goalkeeper, having been linked with former Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina earlier this year.
While they may not be able to sign the Napoli keeper this summer, the acquisition of former Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas looks like a stark possibility for Newcastle at the moment.
The Magpies have struggled to nail down a proper first-choice goalkeeper in recent years, largely due to the lack of any prominent figure in the goalkeeping department.
Kevin Darlow and Rob Elliot shared first-team minutes during the first half of this season before the club opted to bring in Sparta Praha keeper Martin Dubravka. And the Slovak has performed really well since coming in, conceding just four goals in his three Premier League matches.
However, that being said, one could sense the fact that it has been barely a month since Dubravka joined the club and therefore, fans should definitely not adjudge his capability on the basis of three-four matches. To that end, the acquisition of Casillas could prove to be an interesting piece of business from Newcastle’s point of view.
Casillas has been a key part of FC Porto’s successes in the past few years since departing his beloved Real Madrid in 2015. During his three-year stint with the club, the Spaniard has featured in 105 competitive matches for the Dragões.
Considering his immense experience in top flight, having amassed almost 1000 professional games, Casillas will definitely be a useful addition to his Newcastle United squad.
Furthermore, the Magpies have also lacked a leader in recent years and with captain Jamaal Lascelles being on the end of some serious transfer interest from the likes of Chelsea and Everton, Casillas could well prove to be a captain material for Rafa Benitez’s men, should he sign for the Magpies this summer.