OPINION
Newcastle United must forget about signing Martin Dubravka and instead swoop for Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.
The Daily Mirror previously reported that the Magpies were keen to sign Dubravka and have a £4million option to sign him permanently at the end of his loan deal.
The 29-year-old is currently at St James’ Park on loan from Sparta Prague until the end of the season, and has impressed many in the five Premier League appearances he has made.
However there is now potentially a better younger goalkeeper available to purchase in the summer.
The Sun reported on Wednesday that West Ham were interested in signing Championship keeper Bettinelli and could tempt him to the London Stadium with top-flight football, if Fulham don’t win promotion this season.
The Magpies must be ready to hijack the Hammers’ interest in the 25-year-old goalkeeper as if there’s any chance that Bettinelli is on the move in the summer, then Rafa Benitez’s side must win his signature.
The 6ft 3in goalkeeper has been one of the main reasons why Fulham have climbed the table in the second half of the campaign to sit third in the Championship.
Bettinelli is an expert shot-stopper and has kept nine clean sheets in 20 appearances this season, despite having Fulham’s dubious defence in front of him.
The 25-year-old may not have experienced the Premier League as of yet, but he is clearly a better all-round keeper than Dubravka.
Also with Bettinelli being four-years younger, he is a more long-term solution to the Magpies’ problems between the sticks and the keeper is only set to get better.
Therefore the Magpies should forget about signing Dubravka even though he has done a decent job since joining on loan, and go after Bettinelli instead.