Newcastle fans relieved they signed Dubravka rather than Hart

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Newcastle United reportedly tried to sign Joe Hart from Premier League rivals West Ham United, before Rafa Benitez signed Martin Dubravka instead.

It is fair to say there was no shortage of doubters making their voices heard when Newcastle United signed Sparta Prague goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on loan during the January transfer window.

The cynics’ silence was about as deafening as the St James’ Park roar, then, when the whistle blew on the Slovakia international’s debut in English football on Sunday afternoon. Dubravka was superb as Newcastle sealed a shock 1-0 win against Manchester United; a first home Premier League triumph for Rafa Benitez’s men since October.

Matt Ritchie was the match-winner, firing home on the hour from inside the box. But it was Dubravka who was the talk of the Toon after a display in which he showed exactly why Benitez was so keen to bring him to Tyneside.

The 29-year-old not only claimed every cross with real authority, he was excellent with the ball at his feet and looks to have already given Newcastle a new dimension with his distribution.

So Newcastle fans have been united in their appraisal of the new man, and their relief that a deal for Joe Hart did not come to fruition.

As reported by the Mirror, Benitez made a move to rescue the Manchester City goalkeeper from his difficult loan spell at West Ham during the January transfer window before eventually turning his attention to Dubravka.

Hart’s remarkable decline has continued in recent months, with Adrian taking his place as West Ham’s number one. And it seems Newcastle may have dodged a bullet.