Newcastle number one Tim Krul has emerged as a target for Premier League clubs Southampton and Crystal Palace according to reports, but should Lee Charnley look to cash-in on the Dutchman this summer?
Krul would command a fee of £10million for any potential suitor interested in signing him and, according to The Chronicle, has attracted the attention of Crystal Palace and Southampton. Should Newcastle cash-in on the Dutchman, it would be a significant profit on a player who originally cost the club £220,000 when he signed from ADO Den Haag, back in 2005. At 27-years-old, Krul is in the prime of his career and, as a result, is unlikely to ever boast a greater transfer value than he currently does. Therefore, from a financial perspective, selling Krul makes sense for Mike Ashley.
However, from a footballing perspective, selling Krul is a much more complicated issue. He has had both ups and downs during his time at Newcastle.
Just last November, he was crowned Premier League Player of the Month, following some top drawer displays, which resulted in clean-sheets, against Tottenham and Chelsea. However, Krul has his cons. He has proven to be an injury prone keeper over his tenure, and this season has made some huge errors, both on the field and off – including his sloppy pass/clearance against Manchester United, as well as congratulating Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe for his goal in the Tyne-Wear derby, which proved to be the winning goal. This moment especially did not bode well with the Toon Army.
So, should Tim Krul be sold? In essence, it is both the most likely and the best outcome for Newcastle this summer.
£10million for a shaky goalkeeper, who was set to jump ship if they were relegated yesterday, is excellent business. Although he did not receive much help from his back four this season, he has looked a shadow of his former self and was sidelined for a lengthy spell after sustaining a string of injuries.
Newcastle are set to undergo a significant summer overhaul and, with the £10million from Tim Krul’s sale added to the transfer kitty, the recruitment drive should be relatively successful. A replacement is already on the books, in Karl Darlow – whose set to return from his loan at Nottingham Forest. The Aston Villa academy product made 37 appearances for Forest this season, registering 14 clean sheets. Despite Stuart Pearce insisting that Darlow could use more time in the Championship, he has huge potential and he now has two full years at Forest’s number one under his belt. It is not unreasonable to think the 24-year-old keeper could become the Newcastle number one next season. If he fulfils that great potential, he could be first choice shot-stopper at St James’ Park for a long time.
Another positive from Krul’s departure would be the possibility of offering highly-rated youngster Freddie Woodman more than simply a spot on the bench, which will be crucial in convincing the 18-year-old to remain at the club, amid interest from Southampton. With Krul gone, and Elliot soon to depart, Woodman could be given some match experience.
Therefore, I believe the cashing-in on Tim Krul this summer would be a good move for both parties, for a number of reasons.
Give us your opinions! Should Newcastle look to cash-in on Tim Krul this summer? Leave a comment below or tweet @GallowgateGroup.
