MARTIN DUBRAVKA’S agent expects Newcastle United to look to extend the goalkeeper’s stay at St James’ Park, even though he turned 35 earlier this month.
Dubravka’s Magpies future was cast into doubt when he was sitting on the bench watching Nick Pope perform in the first half of the season, but the Slovakian has re-established himself as Newcastle’s starting goalkeeper since Pope was ruled out with a shoulder injury.
There is every chance Pope will reclaim his starting spot if he returns to full fitness as planned before the end of the season, but Dubravka has nevertheless done enough to confirm his value within Newcastle’s first-team group.
The experienced shot-stopper will enter the final year of his contract in the summer, but his agent, David Zika, expects the Newcastle hierarchy to make a move to look to extend his stay on Tyneside.
Speaking in an interview with Sport.sk, Zika said: “Mato (Dubravka) is satisfied that he has the necessary minutes, but the truth is also that if Nick Pope comes back, United will have two quality goalkeepers and only one can play.
“I dare say that he will finish this season in Newcastle. I personally think, and we talked about it with him, that now he has excellent timing for everything. He’s playing, he’s getting better and better in every game, then the European Championships will come and he’ll only have a year left on his contract.
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“If he wins the (Euros) in Germany, he can get into an excellent position and either negotiate better conditions in Newcastle, or he will look for another challenge, but we are already ahead of that.
“I can imagine that Newcastle will offer him a contract extension for a year or two. In England, goalkeepers mature like wine and their loyalty is viewed very positively.”
Zika claims Dubravka is happy at Newcastle now he is back in the starting side, but has not ruled out a move away from the club if his circumstances were to change.
He said: “It is not excluded that Mato will want to look somewhere else. He is working to make his position as good as possible during the summer.
“It is not excluded that he would move within England as well. Everything will depend on him. If he has the appetite and is healthy, I can imagine that he can play at the highest level for four or five more years.
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