Newcastle United player drops major hint about his future as key decision made - set for summer transfer

Newcastle United goalkeeper Loris Karius has set his sights on a move to Italy this summer.

The 30-year-old has hired Italian-based agency Circum with his contract at St James' Park set to expire this summer. Karius joined Newcastle as a free agent in 2022 and has made just two competitive appearances for the club since.

The former Liverpool man is third choice goalkeeper behind Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka and has only played when the duo have been unavailable. His debut came in the 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United in February 2023 and almost exactly a year later he made his Premier League debut in a 4-1 defeat at Arsenal.

Karius' new agency is led by Alessandro Tocci and former Juventus and Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio. The goalkeeper's partner Diletta Leotta and child are currently based in Italy.

And Karius admitted a move to an Italian club would be 'great'.

“Of course, it would be a great solution if there were good options for me, regardless of proximity to my family,” Karius told Gazzetta dello Sport. “I have always followed Serie A and it intrigues me a lot, but it is too early to talk about the future.

"Claudio [Marchisio] and I are friends, I know him well and I think he is the right person. I want to go back to being number one like I always have been except for the last two years. When I play I do well and I know I have enough quality to perform at the highest levels again.

“When I arrived [at Newcastle], they already had a starting goalkeeper, and it wasn’t easy for me. I definitely aim to play more and that’s why I train hard every day.

“Being a goalkeeper is very difficult, the challenge is to stay positive knowing that you are not playing and to be ready.

“You’re alone in goal, when you score goals, all eyes are on you but when you do something positive no one cares. It’s part of the game, you have to be mentally strong, more than others.”

Karius may have already played his last game for Newcastle with Dubravka currently in goal and Pope likely to return before the end of the season.