Newcastle United announce January deal for former £5m Liverpool signing

Loris Karius has extended his stay at Newcastle United until the end of the 2022-23 Premier League season.

The 29-year-old signed a short-term deal on Tyneside in September after the Magpies sought cover for Karl Darlow, who was sidelined for around two months with an ankle injury.

Karius’ contract was due to expire at the end of the month but United have activated an extension - keeping him at the club until June.

The German’s future at St James’ Park was put into doubt at the start of the month when Martin Dubravka asked to be recalled from his loan spell at Manchester United.

However, with Darlow now expected to leave on loan in the coming weeks, Karius will stay and compete with Dubravka for the back-up role to No.1 Nick Pope.

The former Liverpool man is yet to make a competitive appearance for Newcastle, with his only outing coming against Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal in December. He hasn’t been named in the matchday squad since.

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe confirmed during his side’s mid-season trip to Saudi Arabia last month that he wanted Karius to stay.

“I think he’s been a very calming influence,” Howe said. “He’s a goalkeeper with a lot of experience. He’s trained well. He’s a very good character.

“He’s very popular in the changing room, the lads have really taken to him. He’s a positive influence, and that’s why I’d like him to stay.”

In total, Newcastle have five senior goalkeepers, which includes the quarter already mentioned and Mark Gillespie, who was left out of the club’s 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the campaign.

Howe admitted last week it was a position that could be trimmed, and it appears Darlow is the most likely to leave having attracted interest from a number of Championship clubs.

“I don’t think they have to leave but we’ll have to wait and see what happens with that situation,” Howe said on the goalkeeping department.. “It’s probably a lot of goalkeepers to have.

“I think the key thing is, whatever position, you want every member of the squad to feel valued and potentially play a part in what you’re doing.

“If that isn’t the case for someone within that department, we’ll look at it and try and help them.”