Jasper Cillessen is at Barcelona thanks in part to Newcastle – who could now offer the seldom-seen Dutchman an escape route in January.
You have to feel for Rob Elliot. The Republic of Ireland international has been nothing short of solid this season but it appears that Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez is still looking to replace him at the first opportunity.
A new goalkeeper is understood to be a priority for Benitez in the January transfer window. And Spanish outlet El Gol Digital reports that there are two La Liga shot-stoppers on The Magpies’ shopping list.
Newcastle’s reported interest in highly-rated Real Sociedad goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli has been a regular topic in the gossip columns for a number of weeks. But links with Barcelona’s second-choice glovesman Jasper Cillessen are new and particularly intriguing.
Especially when you consider that Cillessen has Newcastle to thank for helping him earn that dream move to Barcelona in the summer of 2016.
Newcastle loaned long-serving Dutchman Tim Krul to Eredivisie giants Ajax in August 2016 – thus setting the wheels in motion for Cillessen to seal an £11.5 million move to the Camp Nou, per The Mirror.
The Dutch number one, however, is stuck behind German ace Marc-Andre Ter Stegen in the pecking order at Barcelona. The fact he has made just one La Liga appearance in over a year in Spain suggests that a move he described as a ‘dream come true’ (Sky Sports) has turned into something of a personal nightmare.
Newcastle, however, would more than likely offer Cillessen guaranteed first-team football and the chance to re-establish a reputation that once saw the 28-year-old rated as one of Europe’s very best shot-stoppers.
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