Eddie Howe's team selection for Newcastle United's pre-season friendly against Bristol City has heightened suspicions that Lukas Hornicek is set to become the club's new No 1 goalkeeper.
Nick Pope, who is expected to leave if a new shot-stopper arrives, was dropped to the bench despite starting the previous friendlies against Darlington and Gateshead. Instead, 20-year-old Ewen Jaouen, signed from Stade Reims as the new second-choice, was handed his first start.
Pope's future at Newcastle
The England international has been a key figure for Newcastle, with crucial saves in the 2023 Champions League qualifying match against Leicester and the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool. However, mistakes became frequent last season, and with only one year left on his contract, a summer departure seems likely.
Chronicle Live understands that Newcastle are working on a deal for SC Braga's Hornicek to swiftly conclude their search for a new No 1. The next step would be finding Pope a new club, though potential moves to Ipswich or Leeds appear to have closed after they signed Kjell Scherpen and James Trafford respectively.
Jaouen's debut performance
In the 4-1 loss to Bristol City, Jaouen made some early saves, including a point-blank effort from Sam Greenwood and a shot from Jason Knight. However, he could not prevent Greenwood's stunning free-kick that opened the scoring, nor the second goal by Lorent Tolaj after he beat Sven Botman.
Jaouen showed composure with his feet, initiating attacks with crisp passing. Pope replaced him at half-time and conceded further goals, including a Max Bird strike and a comical Sven Botman own goal. The focus remains on Pope's future and the imminent arrival of Hornicek.
