Howe can finally axe "nervous" dud as Newcastle plot bid for "superb" £14k-p/w tank - opinion

Newcastle United have been linked with a swoop for Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

According to a recent report from Record, the Tyneside club are interested in bringing the Portuguese shot-stopper to St James’ Park this summer.

A product of Porto’s youth system, the 22-year-old has gone on to make 146 appearances for the club across their senior and youth teams.

With 68 senior appearances to his name, the £14k-per-week goalkeeper, who was labelled “superb” by podcaster Zach Lowy on Twitter, has kept 27 clean sheets.

To further highlight his talent between the sticks, Costa ended his latest campaign at Porto with the joint-lowest rate of goals against per 90 minutes (0.67) in the Portuguese top flight from 33 appearances.

Also, with 66 shots faced, he made 47 saves to help his team secure the league title and end the season with fewer goals conceded (22) than any other side in the division.

In terms of a potential move to Newcastle this summer, this could give Eddie Howe the chance to finally get rid of one man in his squad who didn’t get much of a look in since the former Bournemouth manager was appointed on Tyneside, namely Karl Darlow.

In just eight league appearances this season, all of which came between September and November, the 31-year-old failed to keep even one clean sheet and ended up conceding 15 goals in total.

After his performance in Newcastle’s 3-3 draw against Brentford last November, Toon legend Alan Shearer said that Darlow looked “nervous” throughout the game, which could be why Howe took him out of the team for the remainder of the season thereafter.

Taking all this into account, getting rid of the Englishman and bringing in the young Porto shot-stopper