Karl Darlow is expected to leave Newcastle United this month after fellow goalkeeper Loris Karius signed a contract extension on Tyneside. The 32-year-old has spent nine years at St James' Park but is facing a struggle to get back into the first-team fold under Eddie Howe.
Darlow has had to play second fiddle to the impressive Nick Pope this term and Martin Dubravka's premature return from Manchester United saw him demoted from recent matchday squads. Karius' renewal is another indicator Darlow has dropped down the pecking order.
Thankfully for the former Nottingham Forest stopper there are plenty of Championship suitors chasing his signature. Huddersfield Town are at the front of the queue as they search for a new stopper after it was discovered first choice goalkeeper Lee Nicholls will require surgery on the shoulder injury.
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Huddersfield boss Mark Fotheringham said this week: "You know the situation we were in. We had a number one and we had two young guys who were supporting him (Bilokapic and Chapman), but we just feel we owe it to the squad to bring in an experienced keeper and we’re going to be on that in the next 24 to 48 hours.”
The clock is ticking for Newcastle to both sign and offload players this month but Karius' new deal paves the way for Darlow's, potentially temporary, departure this week. Quizzed over his goalkeeper situation, Howe last week admitted one could depart the club this month.
"I don't know if they *have* to leave but we'll wait and see what happens," he told reporters. "It's probably a lot of goalkeepers to have and the key thing is you want every member of the squad to feel valued. That obviously isn't the case for some of them and we'll try to help."
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