Nick Pope has been a regular in the Newcastle team since his arrival from Burnley for around £10 million in the summer of 2022.
However, the shoulder injury he sustained in the Magpies 1-0 victory over Manchester United in December 2023 highlighted the Toon's defensive instability, with his replacement Martin Dubravka unable to replicate Pope's skillset in goal, conceding 48 goals in 28 games.
While this can't be entirely blamed on the Slovakian 'keeper', the difference between Pope and Dubravka is stark and had the Englishman not become injured, it is likely Newcastle would have been able to achieve a higher position than seventh.
In this piece, I will be reviewing Pope's importance to the toon, and with his contract running out in 2026, who the Magpies can look to replace him within the transfer market.
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Background
Pope had a very stereotypical rise from non-league to the Premier League. After rising through the Ipswich Town academy, he spent three years at semi-pro club Bury Town, located in Suffolk.
The Englishman caught the eye of Charlton and moved to the South London club in the summer of 2011. However, he struggled to make an impact at first, moving on loan to clubs including Aldershot Town, York City, Welling United and Cambridge.
He finally received his chance at the Robins during the 2015-16 season, where he made 28 appearances before moving north to Burnley at the end of that season.
Pope became the number-one keeper at the Clarets in his second season, playing 35 times in the Premier League. In total, he made over 155 appearances for the Lancastrian club before leaving for pastures new following their relegation back to the Championship.
In his first year at the Magpies, he helped lead the team back into Champions League football after a 20-year absence.
Furthermore, his strong start to the season with the toon was recognised, gaining a spot in England's final World Cup 2022 squad. However, he failed to make an appearance at the tournament, sitting on the bench while Jordan Pickford played every minute for the Three Lions.
However, back in the North-East, he continued to shine, conceding the joint-least on average per game, alongside Ederson, while also completing 14 clean sheets, the joint-second most in the league.
A hand injury that was managed throughout the season, was operated on after the Magpies secured Champions League football but kept him out of the England squad, which he still hasn't got back into.
Prior to his shoulder injury, Pope was in fantastic form, especially in the Champions League, where he made 25 saves in just five matches, including a remarkable eight saves, in a clean sheet at the San Siro on matchday one.
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Strengths
Pope is a mix of an old-fashioned shot-stopper and a more modern sweeper-keeper.
Of all keepers to have played over 1,000 minutes last campaign, Pope had the second-highest save percentage, at 72.9%, only beaten by Alisson Becker.
That percentage was marginally higher in the previous season, at 73.1%, and on average he conceded less than a goal-a-game in the 2022-23 season, helped by 14 clean sheets.
Standing at almost two metres tall, the Soham-born goalkeeper has a strong tendency to claim the ball from crosses, with his long arms giving him an advantage over others in the box.
He also has a great penalty record. Of the five penalties he faced in the 22-23 Premier League season, he saved two, and in the Carabao Cup, he managed to save three Crystal Palace penalties in a single shootout, helping Newcastle progress, in a campaign that saw them fall short at the final hurdle.
On average, over the last few seasons, Pope has recovered almost eight balls a game, performing as a sweeper, and when he advances out of his box, he is successful in retrieving the ball 94% of the time, during his spell at the Toon.
He is very quick off his line, and will always take the no-risk scenario, something exemplified by his average of over 1.1 clearances per game, which is among the highest in the league.
Pope would be among the best goalkeepers in the league with this profile, but there is one key area of his game that needs improving, to ensure he remains a significant part of both the Newcastle set-up for years to come.
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The Distribution Problem
Pope's major problem is and is likely to always be his distribution.
In Champions League matches last term, goal kicks would often find members of the crowd, rather than his teammates, and his poor kicking directly led to him conceding, away at Brighton as a stray pass directly found Pervis Estupinan which eventually combined into the first of three goals for Evan Furguson.
Only 35% of his long balls reached a Newcastle player, and only 71% of his passes in total reached a player in black and white. This number decreased in the Champions League, to 63%.
In games where the Toon are under constant pressure, giving the ball back to the opposition so easily from goal-kicks, is worrying for Eddie Howe, and when playing out of the back proves impossible, keeping hold of the ball further up the pitch is paramount. Pope's kicking ability does not allow for this.
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Why is Pope so important?
Pope is important for the magpies in a number of different ways.
First of all, his aerial presence gives the Toon much more authority in their own box. Newcastle conceded 13 goals from set pieces in his absence. To put that into perspective, they conceded only four from set pieces prior to December.
While his eagerness to punch and claim on set pieces can be a problem, as seen in Mario Lemina's goal against the Magpies away at Molineux, his general presence is more positive than Dubravka, who is more inclined to stay on his line.
Another reason Pope is so important to those in black and white is his ability to sweep behind the defence. The Englishman is very quick off his line and able to read danger very well.
In contrast, Dubravka often remains rooted to his line, allowing the opposition to advance further towards the goal, giving them time to pick their spot, before finishing beyond the Slovakian.
With the system Howe plays, where the magpies aim to keep the ball high up the pitch, the slow nature of the defence was massively exposed during the second half of the season.
Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Sven Botman and Kieran Trippier are not the quickest, and the presence of a pacy forward means that an alert keeper such as Pope is heavily important.
Finally, Pope's leadership is very important to the magpies. His ability to command the defence and give clear instructions is much better than Dubravka's.
His once more unpredictable nature is moving towards a very solid and reliable goalkeeper. However, with his age increasing and his contract due to expire in 2026, the toon need to start building towards the future.
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Who replaces Pope?
Odysseas Vlachodimos, 30, and John Ruddy, 37, are not signings for the future, and with Dubravka being 35, the replacement is not likely to be found within the club.
Perhaps the most obvious replacement would be reported target Giorgi Mamardashvili, 23, who impressed with Georgia during EURO 2024.
The Georgian is a world-class shot-stopper and has better distribution than Pope but it is likely to demand north of £35 million to acquire his services.
He has also been touted by Liverpool, as the reds believe he may be a long-term successor for the ageing Allison Becker.
While the Magpies would face competition for the Valencia player, he is destined to have a career at the top of world football, which aligns with the upward trajectory of Newcastle.
Getting back into the Champions League therefore is very important for the toon, as this would give them a clear run at players like Mamardashvili, who would help transform the team into Premier League challengers.
In the near future, however, Pope will be Newcastle's number one, despite wearing 22 on the back of his shirt. If he can find his best form again post-injury, there is no one to say he cannot get back into the England set-up, and help the Magpies get back into continental competition for the 2025-26 season.
