Newcastle United made quite a few signings this summer, although it remains to be seen how many of them end up having prominent roles in the starting XI. In the case of some, they are clearly backup options for the time being.
One area where Newcastle United made two additions is between the posts. Lukas Hornicek was signed as the new number one. Ewen Jaouen is expected to serve as his backup option moving forward.
That leaves Nick Pope without a role in the team. He was widely expected to leave this summer but a move failed to materialise. And it looks like that might have been a stroke of luck for Newcastle United, as one of their summer signings is already injured.
Newcastle United summer signing already injured
The player in question is none other than Jaouen. The youngster has already picked up injury and it remains unclear exactly how long he will be out of action for.
According to The Shields Gazette, Jaouen had a scan on his ankle over the weekend. The goalkeeper is now set to see a specialist regarding the issue. The rules him out of the upcoming game against Millwall.
Jaouen’s injury was initially not thought to be serious. But now, it’s unclear how long the issue will sideline the young goalkeeper for.
Of course, this is far from ideal. Having arrived in the summer, this would have been a great time for Jaouen to be in and around the first-team picture.
He is not expected to be the first-team goalkeeper this summer. But in the long run, there is an expectation that Jaouen could become the first-choice between the posts for Newcastle United. The investment that was made to sign him is not something that would have been spent on a backup goalie.
Why Jaouen was not given the starting role
There is no doubt that Jaouen is a very talented goalkeeper. But the immediate jump to the Premier League from the French second division might have been too steep.
As a result, he has been allowed the chance to work under someone like Hornicek as he develops his game and tries to prove that he is good enough to start for a club like Newcastle United.
So, expect him to be a regular in cup games this season while Hornicek remains the first-choice in the Premier League, and in Europe in the future, if Newcastle United end up qualifying.
Will Jaouen end up meeting Newcastle United’s expectations? Time shall tell. But for now, the most important thing is that he recovers from his injury and returns to full fitness as soon as possible.
