Usually, when a manager’s team has just been on the wrong end of a four-goal hammering, it’s his defence which suffers the brunt of the criticism.
But while Brendan Rodgers certainly wasn’t complimentary of Leicester City’s backline following a 4-2 home defeat by Newcastle United back in 2021, the performance of his frontmen left the Foxes boss equally frustrated.
Though – while Leicester’s lack of ruthlessness was certainly a factor in a heavy loss – Rodgers also had some rather begrudging praise for the man between the Magpies sticks.
“We could have had five goals ourselves tonight,” Rodgers sighed, an exceptional Martin Dubravka display keeping Leicester at bay before Kelechi Iheanacho and Marc Albrighton netted a pair of late consolations (Sky Sports).
“The (Newcastle) goalkeeper made a few great saves.”
Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka linked with Celtic
Since then, Rodgers has been credited with an interest in the Slovakian shot-stopper not once but twice. At two different clubs, to boot.
If you can’t beat them, sign them, as they say. The Guardian reported that Rodgers’ Leicester were keen on bringing Dubrakva to the King Power Stadium in January 2023, after the former Sparta Prague glovesman had been recalled from a loan spell at Manchester United.
18 months on, Dubravka is allegedly the latest name on Celtic’s post-Joe Hart goalkeeping wishlist, per the Daily Record.
HITC understands that Newcastle are set to end their own shot-stopper pursuit with a potential £20 million deal for Burnley’s James Trafford. That will free up Dubravka – only two years younger than Hart at 37 – to pursue a fresh start of his own.
Now, 35-year-old Dubravka would hardly be a long-term solution at Parkhead. But what he lacks in youth and re-sale potential, he arguably makes up for in experience, leadership and talent. Dubravka, lest we forget, was one of the Premier League’s finest number ones before Newcastle brought in one of the few top-flight keepers who could be considered an upgrade in Nick Pope.
Brendan Rodgers is a big fan
While it was Dubravka’s stature and reflexes which caught Rodgers’ eye during Newcastle’s crushing victory over Leicester three years ago, there is another aspect of his game which could make the veteran an inspired addition to a Celtic side who dominate possession domestically and like to play out from the back.
“We really believe in Martin. I have always had that high opinion of him,” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe told BBC Sport last season.
“Martin is a high-class goalkeeper. He is a brilliant shot-stopper. He is very good with his feet and his distribution.”
Any goalkeeper in a Celtic team – particularly a Rodgers-led Celtic team – must be as adept at starting attacks as he is stopping them. Dubravka ticks that particular box.
In fact, he ticks more than most.
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