Rafa Benitez has a big decision to make this summer over his goalkeeping situation, as well as his own contract reports the Chronicle.
The Newcastle United manager must decide where his future lies, with the club’s ownership still undecided.
More immediately, he has decisions to make about the Magpies goalkeeping situation which has troubled him for the past two seasons. Matt Sels arrived in 2016 from Austria and is now departed, leaving the usual suspects of Rob Elliot and Karl Darlow to compete with the loan signing of Martin Dúbravka.
The 29-year-old Slovenian joined from Sparta Prague in January, making four Premier League appearances since moving to St James Park.
However, two surprise candidates emerged for the Number One jersey on Tyneside; one highly-rated, the other a familiar name: Nick Pope, 25, of Burnley, with former Sunderland custodian, Simon Mignolet, 30.
The Liverpool goalkeeper is enduring his time on Merseyside after suffering several high-profile errors over the past few seasons at Anfield. With Loris Karius now taking his place in the starting line-up, a return to the north-east is on the cards for the Belgium international.
Pope meanwhile, is involved in a strong fight with Tom Heaton for the top spot after the 31-year-old recovered from a recent injury kept him out of the Clarets starting line-up.
