Newcastle swoop for Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels in transfer breakthrough

The Gent player will cost Newcastle around £4.5million and will provide competition for the No 1 spot with Tim Krul and Rob Elliot both recovering from serious knee injuries.

The former Belgium under-21 goalkeeper is flying to Newcastle today for talks and a medical ahead of becoming Rafa Benitez's first signing as United manager.

Benitez revealed last week that he was hoping to make three or four signings in the next few days, but few people expected a goalkeeper to be his first move, with Karl Darlow and Freddie Woodman on Newcastle's books, along with Krul and Elliot.

Sels, 24, was involved with the Belgium senior squad in recent Euro 2016 qualifiers against Andorra and Israel. He has played over 100 games for Gent in the Belgian top flight.

Middlesbrough have also been linked with the shot-stopper.