Howe makes huge Newcastle January transfer statement that'll leave fans delighted - opinion

A major Newcastle January transfer statement has emerged regarding Martin Dubravka…

Magpies boss Eddie Howe has categorically confirmed that the goalkeeper was not involved in any talks over a potential move for Dean Henderson last month.

Newcastle News and Star quote the 44-year-old as saying: “There was absolutely no truth in Martin Dubravka being offered to Manchester United from our side. That’s absolutely not the truth.”

It was previously reported that the two clubs were trying to iron out a deal which would have seen Dubravka head to Manchester United and Henderson arrive at St James’ Park, both on six-month loans. However, the Newcastle head coach has now quashed those rumours.

Newcastle fans will surely be delighted with this news, as it shows that the club were not willing to allow Dubravka to leave in January.

Letting the Slovakian depart midway through the campaign would have been a disaster for the Magpies, and Howe’s comments will reassure supporters that it was not a disaster they were going to sanction.

In Europe’s top five leagues over the last 12 months, the Newcastle number nine ranks in the 85th percentile for goals conceded in comparison to post-shot expected goals, a statistic which measures how many goals a player prevents with their shot-stopping ability.

Meanwhile, Henderson ranks in the 75th percentile, which suggests that he is a weaker shot-stopper than the current Toon ‘keeper. Therefore, allowing Dubravka to leave in exchange for the 24-year-old in January would have been an error in judgement, as the statistics do not suggest that the Englishman would be a huge upgrade.

That is not to say that Henderson wouldn’t have been a good signing, though. He is ahead of Dubravka in the percentage of