Martin Dubravka has kept three clean sheets with Newcastle United, in six Premier League games.
Speaking to Alan Brazil’s Sports Breakfast show on talkSPORT [broadcast April 10], Micky Quinn has praised Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
The Magpies were under serious threat of relegation in January when Dubravka joined on a half-season loan from Sparta Prague.
But fast forward a few months and Rafael Benitez’s side are now 10 points clear of the drop zone, sitting 10th in the Premier League and the 29-year-old has played a huge role in that.
Dubravka has kept three clean sheets in his first six games for the St James’s Park club and looks to inspire much more confidence in the four defenders in front of him than Karl Darlow or Rob Elliot did prior to the Slovakian’s arrival.
And former Newcastle striker Quinn has singled him out for praise on talkSPORT.
“With a limited budget, they got Dubravka on loan. He looks like he has been in that Newcastle team for the past three seasons. He’s assured, keeping clean sheets and talking to the defence.”
Question is, can Newcastle keep him? Sparta Prague obviously don’t have much use for him, otherwise they would not have sanctioned his loan in the first place.
But the Czech Republic club, who have him contracted until 2020, can demand a pretty sizeable fee, should they wish to.
His rising profile means that Newcastle might not be the only club angling for his permanent transfer and although they have an advantage in the fact that he’s already there, a penny-pinching policy from owner Mike Ashley means that United might be vulnerable if going up against richer clubs.
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