Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope, according to Graeme Souness, may be out if the Toon sign David De Gea on a free transfer.
De Gea has been linked with a move to Newcastle, with the Spaniard reportedly informing Toon officials that he would be willing to join for them.
De Gea is still without a club after leaving Manchester United, and he is thought to have offered to help Newcastle if they need him.
With Nick Pope out for the rest of the season, the Toon squad is depleted.
However, Graeme Souness believes that if De Gea signs, Pope will have a difficult time getting back into the lineup.
David De Gea is better than Nick Pope
Souness revealed in his Daily Mail piece that if he had to choose between De Gea and Pope, he’d take De Gea.
“I believe Newcastle’s decision to sign David de Gea on a free transfer as a replacement for Nick Pope is a wise one.” “I’d go so far as to say Pope may have his work cut out for him when he recovers from his shoulder injury,” Souness remarked.
“I signed Brad Friedel on a free twice — at Galatasaray and at Blackburn. He was my best free signing. But unlike De Gea, Brad had not been out of the game. For De Gea, the first few games could be difficult, as goalkeepers need games to get them up to speed. If you asked me, ‘De Gea or Pope?’ I would say, ‘De Gea, once he gets up to speed’. He’s the better all-round keeper.”
Big calls coming for Eddie Howe
The January window is already difficult to manage, and Eddie Howe appears to be forced to make some major decisions.
Newcastle’s loss of Sandro Tonali has been devastating, and with Pope adding to their difficulties, it appears that there is still work to be done in January.
It would appear that signing De Gea is a no-brainer. He’s a step up from Martin Dubravka, and his time at Manchester United should serve him well in the pressure cooker that is St James’ Park.
It’s debatable whether he’s better than £10 million signing Pope. However, having De Gea on board for at least six months would undoubtedly help Howe.
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