Matz Sels has undergone a medical at Anderlecht and is on the verge of joining the club on loan, according to Belgian newspaper HLN.
The outlet claim on Tuesday that the Newcastle goalkeeper is set to spend the 2017-18 season back in his homeland following “secret medical tests” on Monday.
HLN report that Anderlecht will pay the entirety of Sels’ £25,000-a-week wages during the loan after agreeing terms with the Premier League new boys.
@hlnsport Matz Sels has already undergone a medical at Anderlecht. Loan deal close to completion. #nufc (@NielsVleminckx) pic.twitter.com/zyzfyNT20b
— Kristof Terreur ???? (@HLNinEngeland) June 20, 2017
It has been widely reported that Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has been keen to offload Sels, who was signed from Gent for £5million last summer, to help fund a move for a new number one who has a solid track record in England’s top flight.
The Magpies have been linked with the likes of West Ham’s Adrian, 30, Napoli ace Pepe Reina, 34 and former Manchester City man Willy Caballero, 35.
All three stoppers are experienced in the Premier League and well known to Benitez, who brought Reina to his former club Liverpool in 2005 and managed him for five years.
Sels began last season as the Newcastle number one but lost his starting spot after a number of errors and did not figure in the second half of the campaign as Karl Darlow replaced him as the regular keeper.
The former Belgium Under-21 international has made 17 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies, nine of which came in league fixtures.