Newcastle United could sign Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope for a fee in the region of £20m to £25m, according to former BBC pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Newcastle interested in Pope

According to a report by Sky Sports last Thursday, the Magpies are interested in bringing the England international to St James’ Park this summer, with manager Eddie Howe looking to reinforce his goalkeeping options.

The 30-year-old is reportedly keen to make a move back to the Premier League following the Clarets’ relegation to the Championship.

Pope has just a year left on his contract at Turf Moor, although Burnley have the option to extend this by a further 12 months, so Whelan believes that a deal in the region of £20m to £25m would be a fair price for the shot-stopper.

The Latest: Whelan’s claim on Pope

Following Burnley’s relegation, the former Leeds striker now believes that the Clarets would be willing to sell Pope for the right price.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed: “Now that Burnley have gone down, I think you’re looking at the £20million mark for an international player.

“Nick Pope, he’s 30 years of age, yes, but what he does bring at that age is that agility, that organisation and that experience. He’s a player that can play for another six, seven, eight years as a goalkeeper.

“We see the longevity of a goalkeeper doesn’t end at 35 or 34, like outfield players. The demand on their body is not as intense. I think you’re still going to get the best years of a goalkeeper at 30.

“So I think that £20-25million mark with two years left on his contract. That would be something that would go a long way to help Burnley. I also think that Newcastle would be getting that one piece of the puzzle that has always been questioned. There’s a question mark over Dubravka.

“Would it be an improvement? Yes, it would. Would £25million, for that sort of player that has now got into the England setup, be worth it? In my opinion, every single penny.”

The Verdict: Would be a great signing

When compared with other goalkeepers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year, Pope’s quality truly comes to the forefront, demonstrated by his ranking in the 99th percentile for launch percentage and frequency of  defensive actions made outside the penalty area (via FBRef).

Given such impressive statistics, it is easy to see why Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was so full of praise for the 30-year-old after Burnley's 1-1 draw at Anfield in July 2020, with the German labelling Pope’s heroics that day as ‘sensational’.

Therefore, if Newcastle are able to secure his signing for a relatively cheap fee, this could be a great addition to Howe’s squad.

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