We are off to the races this summer having signed Martin Dubravka for only £4M on a four-year deal.
The Slovakian goalkeeper was outstanding in 12 games for Newcastle on loan this year, and it was expected Rafa would sign the keeper.
Martin certainly improved the team and made an immediate impact on his debut against Manchester United in the 1-0 win which really started our revival in the Premier League.
What a way to make your debut for the Magpies!
Martin Dubravka signs for Newcastle
And here’s some information on our new signing.
- Born in Zilina, Slovakia
- As a child, Dubravka enjoyed playing ice hockey and football, and could have moved into the former sport were it not for a leg injury he sustained when he was five years old
- Dubravka is a third-generation goalkeeper – his father and grandfather also played in the position.
- Dubravka began his career with hometown club MSK Zilina and played in the 2010/2011 Champions League.
- He spent two years in Denmark with Esbjerg fB, before moving to Czech side Slovan Liberec in the summer of 2016.
- After making 28 appearances for the Modrobili, he joined Sparta Prague in summer 2017 and joined the Magpies initially on loan at the turn of this year.
- Dubravka, a former U19, and U21 national player was selected for the Slovakia national football team for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying home game against Ireland.
- Dubravka made his national team debut against Montenegro on 23 May 2014 in 2–0 win and a clean sheet.
- He has been capped ten times by Slovakia and played against England at Wembley in a qualifier for this summer’s World Cup.
- He stands 6ft 3ins tall and commands the penalty area.
- Dubravka has been dubbed the “quintessential sweeper-keeper” due to his “outstanding footwork” – he believes you need to play with the ball, not just kick it long.
- On 11 February, he made his Newcastle debut and kept a clean sheet in a magnificent 1–0 win over Manchester United.
- He became the sixteenth Slovak player and only the second Slovak goalkeeper, after Jan Mucha, to start in a Premier League game.
Now for five more excellent players arriving this summer.
Comments welcome.
70 comments so far
RobLeenio
May 31, 2018 at 10:54 AM
Comment #1Lindisfarne from previous: “Why do fans have to take the simpilist (sic) of stories and make unfounded speculation from it?”
Why not? Surely it’s natural and surely this is the correct forum for it?
Ron Knee
May 31, 2018 at 10:54 AM
Comment #2“Now for five more excellent players arriving this summer.”
Hear, hear!
Jib
May 31, 2018 at 10:54 AM
Comment #3the five
Rodrigues King Sturaro Traore Skrtel
lochinvar
May 31, 2018 at 10:58 AM
Comment #4Interesting that the photo of Dubrovka signing looks very professional.
No tacky SportsDirect.com banner in the background, in fact the NUFC lettering is not visible either but the whole picture looks well composed. Is this another small sign of Rafa’s detailed approach to all aspects of the clubs business being put on a professional basis.
Quality.
SredniVashtar
May 31, 2018 at 11:03 AM
Comment #5The Five
Promes King Sturaro Mrabti Skrtel
Although I would like to see a right back (Fredericks?), Kenedy on loan again and another striker (Abel Hernandez or Martinez on frees?), especially if Gayle leaves
lochinvar
May 31, 2018 at 11:03 AM
Comment #6Jib – just about to ask why Torres wasn’t on your Famous Five list but maybe you were in the know
Newcastle United’s slim hopes of signing Fernando Torres appear to be over with the forward nearing a move to Japan says the Chronicle.
Torres is available on a free transfer having recently left Atletico Madrid and he has been heavily linked with a return to England and a reunion with Toon boss Rafa Benitez.
However, it now seems as if the 34-year-old will sign for J-League side Sagan Tosu after a leak on their official website.
RobLeenio
May 31, 2018 at 11:04 AM
Comment #7Lochinvar, it is a good photo – nothing tacky about that at all.
I wonder who the guys in the back are? Are they his management team or is one of them from NUFC? Neither are Steve Nickson.
SredniVashtar
May 31, 2018 at 11:04 AM
Comment #8Come on Loch where’s your famous five list?
This is the new thing given there’s no Rafa bingo for a couple of months
Jib
May 31, 2018 at 11:09 AM
Comment #9I wonder if John Terry will go and be captain
for his mate Frank at Derby ?
The next Mike Williamson
May 31, 2018 at 11:10 AM
Comment #10Hail.
If we get Kenedy in, then we have Murphy and Atsu as back-ups. I think Rafa would want to let one go and use the money elsewhere. Same goes for Clark who is OK, but I see Rafa getting someone better and Clark is too good to be 4th choice.
RobLeenio
May 31, 2018 at 11:18 AM
Comment #11The next mike Williamson, I disagree – Atsu and Murphy can both play either wing and with Ritchie and Kenedy would form a pretty good and flexible pool of Premier League level wide men. Rolando Aarons, however, will defo be out the door.
ronaldo aarons
May 31, 2018 at 11:18 AM
Comment #12Good signing and a team great value.
If it’s true that Rafa is pushing for 5 more signings then by going with the players Linked so far we could be looking at:
– full back
– centre back
– midfielder
– winger
– striker
I don’t recall being linked with a number 10 recently and alongside the striker position, it must be a priority.
Maybe if we are looking at one striker then gayle will be staying despite a lot of posters suggesting he is for sale.
Tosun A. Wobbler
May 31, 2018 at 11:18 AM
Comment #13Rob…no clue who they are but they feature here
https://www.efotbal.cz/clanek-191266-Dubravka-podle-ocekavani-podepsal-s-Newcastlem-Jaka-je-prestupova-cifra.html
Anybody speak Slovakian?
ronaldo aarons
May 31, 2018 at 11:19 AM
Comment #14Rob
Why you trying to get me out the door? I thought we were mates!
Tosun A. Wobbler
May 31, 2018 at 11:20 AM
Comment #15P.S. judging by the look on Rafa’s face they could be agents. 🙂
ronaldo aarons
May 31, 2018 at 11:22 AM
Comment #16I don’t like the idea of signing skrtel, think he is past it and was getting exposed quite regularly in his last season at Liverpool. But we need someone like that, someone experienced who can step in for lascelles when needed and to push and guide him a little. I’m happy with Clark being cover for Lejuene but we don’t have that with lascelles.
The next Mike Williamson
May 31, 2018 at 11:23 AM
Comment #17Lampard’s supposed to be quite smart. I think he’ll go on to be better than Stevie G who’s probably the next Roy Keane.
Hail Wor Ashley
May 31, 2018 at 11:23 AM
Comment #18I don’t think Rafa has a rigid hierarchy of CB choice outside of Lascelles given preference as leader at number 1.
Clark and Lejeune are very similar. Lejeune is better on the ball, Clark is much better when he gets dragged into the channels. Aside from that they both work very well with Lascelles. when one dips in form or gets injured then the other gets a chance.
Mbemba is just an ill-suited player with questionable attitude and work ethic so he doesn’t fit. Any 4th CB coming in will be to add to the challenge of earning a 1st team place, which pushes each other to greater heights and ensures full commitment.
Yung Mitro
May 31, 2018 at 11:27 AM
Comment #19What about Grealish for our no.10… heard good things about him this season from some villa fans i know. Can’t believe he’s only 22 as well, seems to have been around an age!
Think he would provide good competition for Perez initially and then replace him in out starting XI
Jib
May 31, 2018 at 11:28 AM
Comment #20The 2 guys are David and Filip Zika directors of
Global Sports AS – Martin’s agents
RobLeenio
May 31, 2018 at 11:28 AM
Comment #21Ronaldo, there’s no room for sentiment on this blog…
😉
Hail Wor Ashley
May 31, 2018 at 11:29 AM
Comment #22Yeah, ideally you have 2 senior players for each position, I think Rafa is even quoted as saying that. Having 3 wide players isn’t ideal so if Atsu/Murphy left then we’d need 2 incoming.
bettyswallocks
May 31, 2018 at 11:31 AM
Comment #23I think Dubravka is a good keeper and will only improve .We secured him for a very favourable price which was never not going to happen given his 4m release clause and his impressive form. However it goes to show how starved we have been of positive activity in the transfer market when there is so much hype and euphoria around us signing a 4 million quid goalie.
The next Mike Williamson
May 31, 2018 at 11:33 AM
Comment #24I think Clarke made too many mistakes last season. He was lucky not to get caught out a few times. I also think Lejuenes will be as good as Lascelles next season. 2nd half of the season he was possibly our best defender. As I said earlier I wouldn’t mind Dawson coming in who can provide cover.
The next Mike Williamson
May 31, 2018 at 11:38 AM
Comment #25Could be Murphy out the door. He needs to do a lot more next season.
Hail Wor Ashley
May 31, 2018 at 11:46 AM
Comment #26Can quite as easily point to Lejeune mistakes he got away with. A particular weakness he continuously shws in when the ball is flighted in the channel between him and Dummett he loves to dive in, stretching with his wrong foot and try to intercept it, invariably missing and taking himself out. Did it 3 or 4 times towards the end of the season.
Another is his proclivity to think he’s a great dribbler, more than once he got it pinched off him trying to be too cute far up the pitch on the wing.
The first Man Utd match he had a shocker and looked like a big fairy.
He finished the season very strong and confident, but he is not without faults.
Clark who having looked a very composed defender for much of his time here, started having panicky moments in his last few starts for some reason and that is something defenders cannot afford because it propagates through the team.
Clark hasn’t yet played with Dubravka either, who everybody agrees has made a huge difference to the defence as a whole with his calm. commanding his box and communication.
RobLeenio
May 31, 2018 at 11:47 AM
Comment #27Mike, I’m a big fan of Murphy, I think he’ll prove a few doubters wrong next season. He scored a cracking goal against Citeh, laid on a number of assists and tore some holes in a few defences. Definitely needs more game time and he will potentially become our next fans favourite. I honestly think he could be our Raheem Sterling. Bold words, I know. Could come back to bite me.
Couldn’t agree more on Clarke, though – decent player, good guy, but not one to push Lejeune and Lascelles when both fit. Whether he is upgraded this Summer or next, however, is open for debate. He may want to move himself, if he sees his chances of playing as being limited.
Ron Knee
May 31, 2018 at 11:48 AM
Comment #28Meanwhile, in a parallel universe:
“Manchester City are hopeful of completing the double signing of Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez and Napoli midfielder Jorginho by the end of next week.
“Mahrez will cost around £60m with Jorginho’s fee anticipated to be £42m.”
lesh
May 31, 2018 at 11:55 AM
Comment #29When we read that Klopp may be in for Roma’s Brazilian keeper (Allison is it?) who Roma are said to value at over £60m, it just shows what a great buy Dubs is.
Can we hope of more shrewd buys to follow?
magic hat
May 31, 2018 at 11:55 AM
Comment #30We have 4 wide men if you include arrons, however i don’t think we can we also have another left back in Lazar but I think both are out the door, so lb and another winger probably right footed or both footed is needed. To actually improve the depth. I think what comes in next will hinge on what goes out. And since it sounds like mbemba is out it’ll be a central defender.
RobLeenio
May 31, 2018 at 11:59 AM
Comment #31If Mahrez is out the door at Leicester, surely Vardy won’t be far behind. The club won’t want to lose him, but Vardy will surely be wanting to find a club where they have a midfielder like Mahrez who will be able to provide him with the defence splitting balls he feeds off.
Anyone able to tell me where he might find a player like that?
😛
magic hat
May 31, 2018 at 12:02 PM
Comment #32Vardy is 31, is it really worth paying a astronomical fee for him? Personally I think we’d be better building the young team and letting it grow. Yes he’s get us goals but he’s going to be declining in pace and fitness. Would be great with shelvey though!
RobLeenio
May 31, 2018 at 12:09 PM
Comment #33magic hat, yes, granted signing Vardy is one that lives firmly in the fantasy realm. We can’t afford his fee (£30M buyout clause?) and wouldn’t pay his wages of £120k per week.
But what a statement of intent it would be. And what a partnership he could have with Shelvey…
Jib
May 31, 2018 at 12:13 PM
Comment #34Breaking
Zidane leaving Real Madrid
ArtyH
May 31, 2018 at 12:20 PM
Comment #35Would have liked the new signings to have a caveat in their contracts, ” As long as Rafa is the manager, if not, option to leave the club for original buy price “. That would put the pressure on TFCB and show him the value of RAFA!
lochinvar
May 31, 2018 at 12:20 PM
Comment #36ShredniV@8
The Five
Dawson – Sturano – Kennedy – King – Jorgenson
And you ?
RobLeenio
May 31, 2018 at 12:22 PM
Comment #37Jib, seems mental, but with both Bale and Ronaldo registering their discontent over the past week, I think to stabilise the squad Zidane had to go. He’s failed to challenge for the League recently also.
I wonder who they may approach to replace him? Conte? Wenger? Klopp?
lochinvar
May 31, 2018 at 12:23 PM
Comment #38Jib – do you ever sleep or go out ?
So where is Zidane off to ?
Ronaldo will be away.
Bale seems to be unloved there or is he just hacked off with Zidane and Ronaldo
Ron Knee
May 31, 2018 at 12:26 PM
Comment #39Re Zidane
Someone on the Beeb website has commented: This job has Sam Allardyce written all over it.
Jib
May 31, 2018 at 12:29 PM
Comment #40Guillem Balague who is reporting for
Sky from the Costa Brava is saying
ZZ was well hacked off after the CL
with Ronaldo trying to steal the limelight
by talking about his own future.