Loris Karius’ Newcastle United contract is due to expire this summer with the goalkeeper’s Italian girlfriend hoping to see him swap the Premier League for Serie A.
In the end, despite all the obvious hand-wringing ahead of Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final clash with Manchester United, it all turned out, well, sort of OK. From a personal perspective, at least.
Karius’ first competitive game for an English side since that Champions League final was certainly free from the sort of mistakes that saw his Liverpool career end in a flood of tears. In fact, if it wasn’t for some fine Karius saves, a 2-0 defeat could have been even more lopsided at Wembley as Newcastle missed out on the chance to end their 54-year trophy draught.
Loris Karius’ Newcastle contract is expiring
Thanks to Nick Pope’s consistency and enduring availability, however, that Wembley outing looks likely to be Loris Karius’ one and only appearance under Eddie Howe.
The German’s short-term deal expires this summer. Reports in Italy have suggested that Inter and rivals AC Milan – Champions League semi-finalists both of them – are weighing up a deal that would see the much-traveled 29-year-old move to San Siro, albeit as a second or third choice.
A move to Milan mold appeal to the former Union Berlin, Besiktas, and Mainz ‘keeper too. Especially with his girlfriend, DAZN presenter Diletta Leotta, based back home in Italy.
“Would I like (Karius to be) closer? Selfishly yes,” Leotta tells Gazzetta dello Sport. “But, at the same time, I wish him the best for his career.
“I don’t deny that it would be nice to see him play near me. Perhaps around Milan, or in Lombardy, or in Liguria. In short, we can move throughout Northern Italy, but also to the center or the south.
“It would be much more comfortable than in Newcastle.”
Karius joined Newcastle on a short-term deal last summer and extended it through to the end of the campaign after Karl Darlow departed on loan to Hull City.
Newcastle may have already signed Karius’ replacement too. Highly-rated teenager Reece Byrne is already confirmed to be arriving from Irish football.
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Allan Saint-Maximin sends a message to Newcastle United target who paid a shock North East visit
Newcastle United has been linked with several superstar signings since the change of ownership in October 2021.
Allan Saint-Maximin has sent a birthday message to one of Newcastle United’s rumored transfer targets.
Since the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, PCP Partners, and RB Sports & Media bought the Magpies from Mike Ashley in October 2021, Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele is among the superstars to be regularly linked.
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The France international, who turns 26 today, enters the final year of his contract this summer and it is unclear if he will extend his stay at Camp Nou, although recent reports have suggested he has been offered a new deal.
It was claimed by 90min last month that Newcastle intermediaries briefly met with the 26-year-old during his trip to the North East in March. Dembele, close friends with Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, made a shock visit to the Stadium of Light to watch their defeat to Sheffield United.
The likelihood of Dembele rocking at St James’ Park any time soon, however, is slim, despite being mates with Saint-Maximin. The pair represented France at the youth level together.
“It doesn’t frustrate me,” Howe said. “Those two players are unbelievable players. We are linked with different names. I know what direction I want to take the team in and what we can and can’t do in the transfer market. A lot of the names will not be accurate.”
He added: “That kind of speculation has been there from day one since the takeover, really. Naturally, everyone has then assumed the biggest names in world football will be going to Newcastle. Now we’ve not recruited that way.
“I think financially, we can’t recruit that way at the moment, but also we have to bring the right people and the right players into the group.
“I will say the transfer market is such a complex decision, you can’t just pick a name and bring them in. There’s got to be a lot of thought going into what we’re doing both financially and looking a the players.”
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