Newcastle ‘keeper Matz Sels making strides on loan at Anderlecht

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Newcastle’s Matz Sels is currently on loan at Anderlecht.

The Belgian giants are keen on signing the goalkeeper permanently, while Newcastle go about brokering a deal of their own to bring Martin Dubravka to St James’ Park for good.

Newcastle United shot stopper Matz Sels has enjoyed a promising season on loan at Belgian giants Anderlecht.

The Belgian champions currently sit in third place behind Club Brugge and Charleroi, as they look to claim a second league title in a row.

Not only has Sels featured mainly as the club’s number one ‘keeper in the league, he has also picked up some valuable experience in the Champions League against PSG, Bayern Munich and Celtic.

Sels featured only 14 times for Newcastle last season, and failed to impress during his time in England. He will doubtless be keen to sign permanently given the chance at Anderlecht, however, as he will want first team football to help his bid to make the Belgium World Cup this summer.

In the meantime, with reserve Newcastle keepers Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot seemingly unable to step up into the first team, the club had to look further afield in January, landing Sparta Prague’s Slovakian international Martin Dubravka on loan.

Dubravka has enjoyed a promising start to life in English football, putting in a man of the match performance against Manchester United on his debut, in which he pulled of some stunning saves to keep a clean sheet.

With Dubravka between the sticks, Newcastle have looked a lot more solid, and there’s little doubt that the club will be hoping to turn the current loan deal for the Sparta Prague player into a permanent one.

Having spoken of his dream to play in the Premier League, Dubravka is also keen on extending his stay with the Magpies, with a fee of £4m being talked about to make the deal permanent.

Even if Dubravka signs, however, Newcastle should definitely consider retaining Sels to rival the Slovakian for the number one shirt, with Darlow and Elliot surely having fallen behind the pecking order after the Belgian’s impressive season with Anderlecht.

Sending the former Gent man away on loan appears to have done wonders for his form, with the 26-year-old having struggled to find his feet in England.

However, like others such as David de Gea and now Loris Karius have proven, when given the necessary time and backing to adjust to the tough life of English football, goalkeepers often come good, and Newcastle should not give up on Sels just yet.