Max Thompson, a youthful goalkeeper, has reached an agreement with Newcastle United regarding a new contract.
Thompson inked a new contract that was valid until June 2025 last year. However, he has since agreed to a new contract that will secure his position for the 2025/26 season.
Following the signing of a one-year extension, Thompson has been verified as contracted for the forthcoming season by Newcastle’s retained list, which was released by the Premier League.
During the 2024/25 season, the 20-year-old goalkeeper was on loan at Chesterfield in League Two, where he appeared in 21 matches across all competitions. Thompson has already gained a significant amount of exposure in senior football, having previously spent time on loan at Northampton Town in League One, where he made 20 appearances, despite his young age.
Newcastle United’s goalkeeper predicament
Currently, Newcastle is well-stocked in the goalkeeper department, with Nick Pope, Martin Dubravka, Odysseas Vlachodmios, and Mark Gillespie all under contract for the upcoming season. The club is also in discussions about the possibility of negotiating a new contract with 37-year-old John Ruddy, who is set to expire at the end of the month.
However, the futures of Pope, Dubravka, and Vlachodimos remain uncertain this summer, as Newcastle has been strongly associated with a transfer for Burnley’s goalkeeper, James Trafford. Additionally, the Magpies have been associated with the possibility of acquiring goalkeeper Fraser Forster as a free agent.
NUFC is seeking to circumvent the UEFA squad regulation penalty.
Tottenham Hotspur is scheduled to release the 37-year-old at the end of the month. He has the potential to join Newcastle as a backup goalkeeper, which would also assist the club in complying with UEFA squad regulations in advance of the Champions League.
Clubs are mandated to include a minimum of three goalkeepers in their squads in accordance with the UEFA squad regulations. Furthermore, clubs are required to nominate four “club-trained players” who were contracted to the club in issue for a period of three years, between the ages of 15 and 21.
Forster is included in that category, despite not having appeared in a single first-team contest for Newcastle. The four club-trained player quota must be met by clubs in order to designate up to 25 players in their senior squad lists for UEFA competitions.
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Newcastle’s squad is presently limited to 22 players, with Sean Longstaff the sole senior club-trained player. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in a reduced squad size. In addition, Newcastle’s roster list may be reduced to 21 players if the midfielder is to depart.
However, Newcastle could also benefit from a new contract for Thompson in this regard, provided that he remains on Tyneside for the upcoming season. Newcastle’s most experienced academy goalkeeper is a 20-year-old who has received training from the club.
However, he would not be required to be included in the senior Champions League squad due to his age being under 21.
UEFA regulations mandate that a squad must include three goalkeepers; however, they permit the inclusion of two goalkeepers on the condition that a recognized academy goalkeeper is also included in a “B List” squad. This is where Thompson could potentially contribute. When selecting a Champions League squad for the forthcoming season, the club may elect to utilize a 20-year-old with nearly 50 professional appearances as a third-choice goalkeeper.
However, the club’s intentions regarding the youthful goalkeeper are uncertain at this time, as he has demonstrated impressive performance during his previous two loan stints in the EFL. Additionally, he may be loaned out for a third consecutive season.
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