Newcastle United goalkeeper Freddie Woodman is reportedly wanted by Arsenal.
Rafael Benitez’s record when it comes to promoting players from youth setups has not been impressive over his managerial career – and it may just lead to one Newcastle United player moving on.
Benitez has largely tended to go with more experienced players, and even with Newcastle having promising youngsters in Sean Longstaff and Elias Sorensen in the ranks.
Another youngster coming through is goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, who has been highly rated in the England setup for some time, but has barely been given a chance at Newcastle.
Signed from Crystal Palace in 2013, Woodman has made just one appearance for Newcastle, and that came in an FA Cup tie against Luton Town earlier this year.
After loan moves to Hartlepool United, Crawley Town, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen, Woodman is no nearer first-team football at Newcastle, and an exit could be on the cards.
The Chronicle report that Arsenal are hoping to snap up Woodman in 2019, and the Gunners pose the biggest threat yet to Newcastle’s hopes of keeping the 21-year-old.
The reason for that is that Arsenal’s goalkeeping coach is Andy Woodman, Freddie’s father, and the youngster followed his dad to Newcastle in the first place.
Now, Arsenal could offer him a reunion with his dad, and that may be too good to pass up for the youngster, especially as he could be groomed as Petr Cech’s long-term replacement whilst offering a return to London, where he was born.
If Newcastle don’t give Woodman some sort of glimpse or promise of first-team football, Woodman could be on his way – and whilst has been linked elsewhere in the past, Arsenal is the strongest link yet.
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