Agent of Newcastle United star responds to exit talk after £12m development

Martin Dubravka’s agent has addressed speculation linking the Slovakian with a potential departure from Newcastle United.

The £12million arrival of Nick Pope from Burnley has led to talk of Dubravka maybe leaving this summer with the pair told to battle it out for the No.1 jersey.

Dubravka has been the Magpies’ first choice goalkeeper for the last four-and-a-half-year following his low-key arrival from Sparta Prague.

And although that is risk of ending this season, the 33-year-old’s agent David Zik believes his client will remain on Tyneside - but did not rule out an exit entirely.

“We had a call with Martin about this topic,” Zik told Sport.sk. “Of course, we are aware that Nick’s a quality goalkeeper and domestic representative.

“On the other hand, Martin has nothing to fear. In terms of quality, Martin is one of the best in the Premier League. We’ll see how it all develops.

“We understand that Newcastle United wants to have all posts doubled in quality. However, Martin has long been among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.”

The arrival of Pope came as no surprise to Dubravka with head coach Eddie Howe making his desire to sign another shotstopper known.

“The last time we spoke was at the end of last season,” Zik said. “Even then, they did not rule out the possibility of an arrival, so we were somewhat expecting it.

“It’s 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’re still trying to look for new opportunities on the market.”

Dubravka reported back for pre-season training on Friday, while Pope is set to link up with his new teammates on Wednesday after being handed an extended break after his international commitments with England last month.

Zik is tipping Dubravka to get the nod in between the sticks for the Premier League opener with Nottingham Forest on Saturday, August 6 at St James’ Park.

He added: “I believe that Martin will start the season.

“He 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.”