yesterday 08:00
|
Four and a half years ago, Martin Dúbravka came to Newcastle United and since then he has almost continuously occupied the position of the goalkeeper unit in this club. He only recorded minor outages in moments when he was sidelined by health issues.
Dúbravka’s manager DAVID ZÍKA on the current situation of the Slovak goalkeeping unit after the transfer of Nick Popo
In total, he has made 127 appearances in the Premier League, while in two seasons (2018/19 and 2019/20) he did not miss a single minute on the pitch. However, a few days ago, the management of the “magpies” brought English representative Nick Popo from relegated FC Burnley to the squad, which could shake Dúbravka’s position and possibly cause his transfer to another club.
We talked about it with the manager of the 33-year-old native of Žilina David Zík with the Global Sports agency.
How do you perceive the current situation in Newcastle regarding Martin Dúbravka?
“Just today (Monday 6/27, editor’s note) we had a call with Martin about this topic… Of course, we are aware that Nick is a quality goalkeeper and domestic representative. On the other hand, Martin has nothing to fear. In terms of quality, it’s better than Nick in our view. We’ll see how it all develops. We understand that Newcastle United wants to have all posts doubled in quality. However, Maťo has long been among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.”
Were you surprised by this move by the club’s management to hire a new goalkeeper?
“Clubs have to look ahead. It could be a good alternative for Newcastle in the future. I believe that Martin will start the season as a unit, who has provided extremely high-quality services for the club over the past four and a half years. He kept the team in difficult situations many times. Perhaps thanks to this, as well as a responsible approach during preparation, he will defend his current position. On the other hand, we would be a bad agency if we didn’t also think about option B. However, we will deal with another alternative or alternatives only when it is necessary.”
Photo gallery
Martin Dubravka.
Source: Reuters
–
Do you plan to talk to the club management?
“The last time we had fun was at the end of last season. Even then, they did not rule out the possibility of an arrival, so we were somewhat expecting it. It is understandable that Newcastle’s squad, given the club’s financial resources, will continue to grow and expand. We feel that Martin’s position in the club is strong, but we are still trying to look for new opportunities on the market. Similarly, as in the case of our other players.
Maybe something will happen this summer, maybe in the next transfer window. In any case, we will try to be ready so that we have interesting options available to us the moment he decides to leave. Of course, it can still happen, and we believe that Martin will start the new season where he ended the last one, that is, in Newcastle’s goal.”
You mentioned that you had already talked about it with Martin Dúbravko. How does he perceive it all?
“If I can speak for him, he takes it realistically. He is on top of things and as calm as possible. At the moment, he is honestly preparing for the new season individually. His training at the club starts at the end of this week. He will start training normally and we will see. We’ll give it time. And in case the situation changes, we will be ready.”
Are you currently registering specific offers for Martin Dúbravka?
“Maťo is a goalkeeper who does not need to be introduced to interested parties. For several years now, he has been presenting himself best at the highest level, which the Premier League certainly is. Clubs are currently monitoring the situation. They are monitoring if and when he might be available. We do not want to be more specific at this stage. I can only say that we are registering interest from teams from the Top 5 European top competitions, as well as from the overseas Major League Soccer (MLS), where clubs have contacted us in the past.”
Photo gallery
Martin Dubravka, Newcastle United
Source: Reuters
–
Can you at least reveal whether Newcastle’s Premier League rivals are among those interested?
“Yes, there are those. But I really can’t be more specific at this point.”
If there was a change of jersey, would a loan be in play, or would you only deal with a transfer?
“Sometimes in football there are possibilities that you cannot predict. When Martin went from Sparta, it was also at first only on loan, which then turned into a transfer after his excellent performances. If I can say something else for Martin: he wants to catch, he wants to be a unit! Either in Newcastle or somewhere else. He doesn’t just want to cover someone’s back, but he clearly wants to be in goal.”
NOT OPINION BUT STATISTICS
Newcastle paid a reported 11.5 million euros to Burnley’s coffers for Nick Popo. According to Transfermarkt, the market value of the 30-year-old goalkeeper is 15 million euros.
“Yes, they paid a lot of money for him, and he is an England international. On the other hand, Martin has built a great name for himself at the club. He has an excellent relationship with the fans, he is respected in the cabin. We would like to believe that all this will be taken into account. Moreover, when we talk about his qualities, it’s not just our opinion, it’s backed by statistics.” stated David Zíka.
–
–
