AHEAD of his third game in a row since returning to the starting line-up, Karl Darlow has admitted he could easily have been playing for Middlesbrough this afternoon rather than for Newcastle United.

Boro had agreed a £5m deal for the 27-year-old in the summer after Rafael Benitez had told him he could be sold when a replacement was brought in. Discussions went on with Pepe Reina and Wily Caballero, and neither arrived on Tyneside.

Newcastle’s failure to land either coupled with decisions to let Matz Sels and Tim Krul go meant Darlow ended up being at St James’ Park when the transfer window closed in September.

Now, ahead of tonight’s visit of Leicester City to the North-East, the former Nottingham Forest man has his place back from Rob Elliot and he is desperate to prove himself all over again under Benitez.

Darlow said: “I was incredibly close to leaving. At the time I saw it as business when the manager told me. That’s the way to deal with it. That’s how it was explained to me.

“I was pretty close to leaving, yes (to Middlesbrough). I hadn’t got as far as my farewells to my team-mates. I had met and spoken to their manager (Garry Monk) and it was all ready to go.

“Newcastle were waiting on signing another goalkeeper and it fell through for another reason. Thankfully it did because I am still here and playing in the team again. It’s all good for me.”

In the end Middlesbrough agreed a similar deal with West Ham for Darren Randolph and Darlow was left wondering if he would be able to play again under Benitez, with Rob Elliot starting the campaign between the posts.

He said: “I did potentially think I’d played my last game for the club. It has been pretty well documented. The position I was in during the summer, and what was happening, but playing for Newcastle was something I never gave up on.

“When the transfer window closed it was time to knuckle down, but looking back it was a tough period for myself and I have come through it and I am feeling good. Hopefully I can push on again, I am back in the team and see if I can kick on.”

Darlow has a smile on his face, and he has tried to maintain that approach throughout his time competing with Elliot for the starting role. Nevertheless having spent the majority of the promotion winning campaign, losing his place was hard to take.

He said: “It’s been very frustrating. During the week the keepers, we all train hard. I found it quite easy to get in the swing having been out for so long.

“The competition has been fine between Rob and I, it’s all good. We know at the end of the day it is the manager’s call what happens and who plays. It’s just a case of not taking it too personally. It happens all the time with the outfield players. That’s the way you deal with it.”

Despite conceding three at Chelsea a week ago and two more at West Brom a few days earlier, Darlow has performed pretty well between the sticks. Eden Hazard, who scored a cheeky penalty that afternoon at Stamford Bridge, then labelled him a “great goalkeeper”.

Darlow responded: “It was nice to hear Hazard’s comments, it does you a lot of good. It was a nice consolation despite the result. It was very nice and very classy from him. I appreciated it hugely.

“I think I have done OK in my two games. It’s a step up from last season, especially the Chelsea game and they are a very good side. I just need to keep putting in solid performances. My motivation is to have a run right until the end of the season. Hopefully prove this is my spot.

“Leicester won’t be easy on Saturday, they were the champions two years ago and they are playing well again with a lot of the same personnel. We have got to presume that their best team turns up on the day and we have to be up for that.

“Leicester are a big danger on the counter attack, defensively they are quite solid. At home we have to match what they have got in terms of tempo and intensity, then hopefully come away with three much needed points.”