Newcastle United may need another couple of victories to cement their place in the top flight next season but Rafa Benitez seems relatively pleased with the league campaign and is already planning for the future. There are a number of positions that the manager is desperate to improve on at the end of the season and the goal keeper’s spot could trouble him.
The likes of Rob Elliot and Karl Darlow have lost their place in the first team recently to Martin Dubravka but Benitez is far from happy with this situation and has been extensively linked with a move for a number of shot-stoppers recently. One such player, who is still in the books of the Magpies is 26-year old Matz Sels.
Having started his senior career with Lierse, Sels moved to Newcastle United in 2016 but managed to make just nine Championship appearances, failing to impress Rafa enough to warrant a place in the senior side this year. He was loaned out to Belgian giants Anderlecht, where he has turned into their first choice custodian, keeping 8 clean sheets in 22 Jupiler Pro League appearances this season.
He has also represented the Belgium U21 side on four occasions but has the route to his senior side blocked by the likes of Thibaut Courtois and Simon Mignolet at the moment. But at just 26, he will only get better and is a decent option to have in the squad for Newcastle United.
However, reports now claim that Anderlecht are happy with Sels’ performances this season and are ready to make a move to sign him on a permanent deal this summer. The story claims that Newcastle United value him at around £5.5m, which might be a bit steep for Anderlecht at the moment.
However, if the Belgian outfit manages to qualify for the Champions League, they believe that they will have enough funds to spend on Sels this summer. The player himself has revealed that he might not return to his parent club at the end of the season so should the Magpies let him leave?
As already mentioned, Benitez is already scouting for a top-class shot-stopper to solve the problems in the squad under the bar. Neither Elliot nor Darlow have done enough to retain a place in the first team next season and Dubravka still seems a bit raw.
So the manager is expected to spend on a shot stopper and if he is convinced that Sels is not the right man, it is best for all involved that the 26-year old Belgian moves back to his home country on a permanent basis. But do you think he should be given another chance at St James’?
