Several former Newcastle United players have found success at other clubs this season.
Yankuba Minteh, a former Newcastle United player, scored at St James’ Park in the FA Cup’s 2-1 loss to Brighton last week, helping the Magpies exit the competition.
Minteh was one of two Newcastle players forced to sell for PSR purposes, the other being Elliot Anderson, who was sold to Nottingham Forest by Eddie Howe.
Anderson has been in excellent form for Forest this season, and while Newcastle made a £35 million profit on him, it is a decision that the club may come to regret.
Newcastle fans screamed for Anderson at St James’ Park in February, and he was one of three former Magpies to return to Tyneside.
Chris Wood has been outstanding this season, keeping up with Alexander Isak in the Premier League scoring rankings with 18 goals for Forest. Matz Sels is the third former Newcastle player in that Forest team, and he is also leading the league this season.
Matz Sels is accomplishing something ‘amazing’ in the Premier League
Newcastle are aiming for Champions League qualification this season, but one of their main opponents for a top-five berth is a Forest team full of former stars.
Forest took one step closer to the Champions League on Saturday when they beat reigning Premier League champions Manchester City 1-0 at City Ground.
Selz kept City out with a remarkable goalkeeping performance, and it means he has now kept 12 clean sheets in the Premier League this season – two more than second-placed David Raya at Arsenal.
That achievement was pointed out by Gary Lineker on BBC Match of the Day, who described it as “extraordinary”.
“A quick line on Matz Sels there, I mean that is extraordinary isn’t it this season [most clean sheets],” Lineker said.
Joe Hart, a Premier League winner and former goalkeeper, added: “It really is, but they fully deserve it.” Milenkovic, Murillo, and Sels, in particular, deserve to be at the top of that leaderboard.
Newcastle United wants a new goalkeeper this summer.
Sels is seen as a disappointment at Newcastle, having made only 14 appearances for the club during his two-year stint from 2016 to 2018.
Sels faced criticism for his poor start at Newcastle, and Rafa Benitez eventually dismissed him as the starting goalkeeper. Sels lost his place to Karl Darlow, and Nick Pope was eventually brought in as Newcastle’s No.1.
However, that might all change this summer, with Howe looking to recruit a new goalkeeper. Martin Dubravka and Pope are battling for the No. 1 slot, although Newcastle would prefer to bring in a youthful and long-term goalkeeper.
Newcastle are favorites to acquire James Trafford, who has smashed defensive records for Burnley in the Championship this season.
However, Newcastle might sign Caoimhin Kelleher after Liverpool reduced the price of their No.2 shot-stopper.
