Newcastle United set to hold talks over long-serving player’s future

Newcastle United will hold talks with Freddie Woodman at the end of the season to discuss his future.

The 25-year-old joined Bournemouth on loan in January, almost six months after the move was first blocked by the Magpies following injuries to Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow.

It meant Woodman started United’s opening five games of the campaign before slipping down to third choice when Dubravka and Darlow returned.

Once on the South Coast, the England under-20s World Cup winner’s loan didn’t at all go to plan. He made one appearance, and that was a shock FA Cup exit to non-league side Boreham Wood, as Woodman struggled to get in ahead of Mark Travers.

Returning to Tyneside this summer, Woodman is facing an uncertain future with the former Swansea City loanee unlikely to be considered for the number one spot.

Eddie Howe to hold talks over Freddie Woodman’s future

There’s even talk of Newcastle eyeing another goalkeeper in the transfer window, which would force Woodman further down the pecking order.

With that in mind, Magpies head coach Eddie Howe will sit down with Woodman at the end of the season to discuss his future.

Howe said: “Goalkeeper is the hardest position in the sense that Freddie went on loan, but I know Mark Travers very well, and he’s an outstanding goalkeeper.

“His game probably kicked on to another level from having Freddie behind him, so it was difficult for Freddie to get any game time, which was obviously a disappointment for us and for him.

“He’s an outstanding young goalkeeper. We’ll be sitting down with Freddie to discuss what his next step is. But at this moment in time, it’s difficult to say.”

Woodman has been on the books at Newcastle since 2013.