Report: Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope could be missing for the rest of the season

Newcastle United picked up another casualty of war on Saturday as goalkeeper Nick Pope dislocated his shoulder diving to make a save.

Martin Dubravka was brought on for the final 10 minutes of the game against Manchester United, and will now be expected to be Newcastle's number one while Pope recovers.

After the game, Eddie Howe confirmed that it was a shoulder dislocation and reminded us that this has happened before with Nick Pope in his career which required surgery, but at the time he obviously couldn't say whether this new injury would also require surgery.

Newcastle may now need to move for unsettled Aaron Ramsdale

Journalist Mike McGrath, however, has reported that Pope's injury is expected to keep the 31-year-old out of action until almost the end of the season.

A short while back we floated the idea of signing Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to help push Nick Pope, giving Eddie Howe two excellent options between the sticks. Not that we don't trust Dubravka, but there is a feeling that he's had one foot out the door since Pope arrived.

Signing Ramsdale may now be a realistic option, even if it's just a loan move (which Arsenal are extremely unlikely to do). With Pope missing for possibly the rest of the season, Ramsdale would be the perfect alternative, especially after how he's been treated at Arsenal.

Ramsdale's hunger to prove himself could be what we need

The 25-year-old would be extremely keen to come in and prove himself after being snubbed by Mikel Arteta and would love nothing more than helping his new club to finish above Arsenal in the table.

Things would obviously get a bit more tricky upon Pope's return with Howe then having to make the tough call between the two, but if Ramsdale comes in and stakes a claim to the first-team, then that can only be good for Newcastle going forward.

It's another sucker-punch for Pope who was hoping to play his way back into Gareth Southgate's thoughts for England ahead of Euro 2024.