Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez has hinted that fringe goalkeeper Karl Darlow, rated at £4.05m by Transfermarkt, still has a big role to play at the club having been impressed with the improvements he has made following the arrival of Martin Dubravka on loan from Sparta Prague during the January transfer window.
The former Nottingham Forest stopper had been in and out of the starting XI having been in competition with Rob Elliot in the first-half of this season, but he had started six successive Premier League matches from the end of December until the start of February.
However, Benitez wanted to bring in a new number one last summer and he finally sealed a temporary deal for Dubravka in January, with the Slovakia international keeping a clean sheet on his debut in the 1-0 win against Manchester United at St James’ Park last month.
The 29-year-old has been an ever-present between the sticks since then and says he wants to stay for the long-term, and even though Darlow isn’t playing his Spanish boss thinks the arrival of further competition on Tyneside has helped him get better.
Benitez told the Chronicle Live: “Darlow has improved a lot in terms of the little things that he can see Martin doing.
“Every player can learn from another one – especially keeps because they are there together all the time.
“So I think it has been positive for him. It is about improving everyone and that is what has been happening so far.”
Newcastle can edge a step closer to retaining their Premier League status when they host fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town at St James’ Park on Saturday, knowing that a victory would take them on to 35 points with seven matches still left to play.
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