Newcastle United have reportedly suffered a blow in their £20 million pursuit of Robert Sanchez, with Brighton set to snub any approach for the Spaniard.
According to Football Insider, Brighton & Hove Albion have no intention of selling their first-choice goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez, despite rumours linking him to Newcastle United.
Although Newcastle are trying to curb expectations for their first summer transfer window since their Saudi-backed takeover, they are expected to splash the cash on several high-profile signings. One area on their agenda to strengthen is the starting goalkeeper berth.
Newcastle United are not short of goalkeepers, with Martin Dubravka, Karl Darlow, and Mark Gillespie all in the senior squad. Manager Eddie Howe has kept faith in his goalkeeping roster, including first-choice star Dubravka, who has been steady but not entirely convincing.
Between Darlow, Woodman, and Dubravka, they have conceded 54 goals in 30 matches. Their defensive frailty was on show during the 5-1 thrashing at Tottenham last Sunday, but the Slovak shot-stopper made just one save the whole game, which does not reflect well on him either.
Moreover, Darlow may seek an exit from St James’ Park this summer in search of a regular starting berth elsewhere. So there may be room for a new face. To that end, they are looking at a number of goalkeeping options, with Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga, Manchester United’s Dean Henderson and West Brom’s Sam Johnstone all on Newcastle’s shortlist.
But, as per the report, Seagulls’ shot-stopper Sanchez has emerged as their preferred target for the No. 1 position at St James’ Park. The stopper joined Brighton from Levante in 2013 as a 15-year-old and made 42 appearances for the Under-23s before enjoying successful loan spells at Forest Green Rovers and Rochdale.
The 24-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable rise since making his first-team debut in November 2020. He has been a reliable presence in between the sticks for Graham Potter this season, starting all but one Premier League game, keeping eight clean sheets in 29 outings.
Sanchez’s consistent performances for the south coast side have also seen him rewarded with a call up to the Spanish national side. He even made his debut in a 4-0 World Cup qualifying game against Georgia last September.
Sanchez is good with the ball at his feet, an active sweeper and possesses good reflexes that allow him to pull off a few important saves in crucial moments. Nine years younger than Newcastle’s current No. 1 Dubravka, Sanchez would have reflected the Magpies’ long-term vision as they continue to assemble a youthful and competent squad.
However, Brighton’s stance on selling Sanchez will also come as a blow for Newcastle. Contracted until the summer of 2025, the Seagulls consider their No. 1 custodian as an unsellable asset and will rebuff any potential interest this summer. Furthermore, Newcastle’s purported £20 million bid falls well short of the south coast club’s valuation of the Spanish international. As a result, it appears that they will have to shift their focus to other avenues.
