'Fantastic club' - £20m man confirms desire to return to Newcastle United
Newcastle United goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos is currently on loan at Sevilla.
Odysseas Vlachodimos isn’t giving up on his Newcastle United career.
The Greek goalkeeper joined from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2024 as part of the PSR swindle that saw academy graduate Elliot Anderson controversially head in the opposite direction.
Forest signed Anderson for £35million, while the Magpies paid a reported £20m for Vlachodimos. He is the most expensive goalkeeper in the club’s history, yet has made just one appearance.
Odysseas Vlachodimos reflects on ‘frustrating’ Newcastle United spell
Vlachodimos sat third choice behind Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka last season and although the latter left in the summer, United brought in Aaron Ramsdale on loan from Southampton to replace the Slovakian.
In pursuit of regular football, Vlachodimos joined Sevilla on a season-long loan.
“Of course there was frustration that I didn’t play more,” Vlachodimos told the iPaper. “If you look back in my career, I have played plenty of games, Champions League games, international games with Greece, I always want to play and you’re a bit disappointed if you don’t play and don’t get the chance.
“I thought I would play more games, to be fair. I came with a different outlook and ambition but things didn’t go as I thought it would. It was a new experience to me because I’ve always played but I learned something from it. I stayed fit, kept training and I think it made me the goalkeeper I am now.
“Why I didn’t catch the game time that was spoken to me about before I moved? We need to ask other people about that.”
But he’s not giving up on his Newcastle United career
Before coming to the Premier League, Vlachodimos had a strong reputation at Benfica. And by moving to Spain, the 31-year-old has rediscovered his best form.
In an underwhelming Sevilla team currently sitting 10th in Liga, Vlachodimos has the fifth-best xG conceded among Europe’s top five leagues. At the Bernabeu on Sunday, the Toon loanee pulled off one of the saves of the season to deny Rodrygo.
Only time will tell if Vlachodimos’ performances will lead to another opportunity at Newcastle. The player himself is keen.
“I don’t know what the future holds but of course I’d come back,” Vlachodimos said. “Me and my family, since day one at Newcastle, have felt very good.
“I think we fit well with the club, I like the people at the club and the Geordies, whether that’s at the supermarket or out and around. Newcastle is a fantastic club. But I also want to play for them and to be important on the pitch.”