Newcastle United 'trigger' one-year deal as double transfer exit looms - Arsenal move linked

Newcastle United have reportedly activated an option to extend goalkeeper Mark Gillespie’s contract until June 2025.

Gillespie’s contract was set to expire this summer but Mail Online report that Newcastle have triggered a 12-month extension. The 32-year-old is yet to make his Premier League debut for Newcastle with his only three appearances since joining from Motherwell in 2020 coming during the 2020-21 season in the Carabao Cup.

Gillespie has been fourth choice goalkeeper at Newcastle behind Nick Pope, Martin Dubravka and Loris Karius this season with a new deal suggesting the club are set to lose at least one goalkeeper this summer. Karius is set to leave having made just two appearances since his arrival in 2022.

The German’s contract is up this summer and he has spoken publicly about his desire to secure regular first-team football elsewhere. Martin Dubravka’s future on Tyneside is also uncertain despite the 35-year-old being a regular in Newcastle’s starting line-up for the majority of the campaign due to Pope’s injury.

Once Pope returns, Dubravka is likely to drop back down to second-choice goalkeeper. The Slovakian joined Manchester United on loan shortly after Pope’s arrival in 2022 but returned after half a season at Old Trafford.

Dubravka’s contract expires in June 2025 and the club could look to cash in while also assessing other goalkeeping options in the transfer market this summer. Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale has been regularly linked with a move to Newcastle and has prior experience working alongside Eddie Howe at AFC Bournemouth.

Here are the contract lengths of all players signed to Newcastle United...