Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren is nervous about turning to goalkeeper Freddie Woodman this week.
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McClaren said: “Freddie is 18-years-old, and this is a big league”.
Woodman has been playing second fiddle to Rob Elliot due to the injuries to Tim Krul and Karl Darlow, but Elliot was also injured in the weekend’s draw with Stoke, meaning that young Woodman may have to start for Newcastle this coming weekend.
The Dutchman has gone on to establish himself as Newcastle’s No. 1 and Woodman is tipped to eventually take over from him. We said the same about Kevin Mbabu and he came in and did the job.
McClaren’s side travel to Bournemouth on Saturday and while the club’s coaching staff rate Woodman highly, the indication is that they would prefer an experienced goalkeeper to tide them over with Elliot suffering a recurrence of his thigh injury and Darlow still a week or so away from a return from an ankle strain. It’s the unknown. He has certainly got ability and talent, and he’s a keeper for the future. We’ll have to assess it.
“Goalkeepers are very important for you, and Robbie made a very good save at the end so it is an important position”. However, he could be on the move much sooner if Newcastle get the nod to bring in a new goalkeeper, and he would probably jump at the chance of regular Premier League football at St James’ Park.
The club would then be free to approach other Premier League clubs to ask to take a goalkeeper on loan.
United, of course, attempted to sign a goalkeeper on an emergency loan last December with both Elliot and Krul sidelined.
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Jak Alnwick – who left for Port Vale in the summer – deputised between the posts until Krul returned to fitness.
