90min

Newcastle United Set to Make Their First Summer Signing As They Close in On £4m Bargain Deal

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Newcastle United are ready to make on-loan goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka their first signing of the summer transfer window.

The Slovakia international joined the Magpies on loan from Sparta Prague on deadline day of the winter window and, according to ​Sky Sports, the 29-year-old is close to making the move permanent.

Newcastle reportedly have the option to buy Dúbravka for just £4m when the transfer window opens this Thursday, in a move which should be considered a bargain due to his fine run of form in the last three and a half months of the season.

Since his arrival, Dúbravka has featured 12 times for Rafa Benitez's side and has conceded just 11 goals in that time. Benitez will be thankful that Newcastle inserted the clause into the deal, as the stopper would certainly have a host of potential suitors if that wasn't the case.

Just last month, Dúbravka ​expressed his desire to stay at Newcastle and now it looks like his dreams could be about to come true.

"I want to stay here after the summer, so I need to be focused, but I don't think this is the time to speak about it," he said with several games of the ​Premier League season left to play."I've enjoyed every game we've played. I knew when I came here that we were not in the best situation, but Newcastle's a huge club with a great history and deserves to stay in the league.

"Since I signed a loan deal here, we've worked hard to take this attitude from the training ground to the pitch in games."

Sky Sports also report that Newcastle are keen on signing another of their loanees, ​Chelsea wide man Kenedy, on a permanent basis after a successful loan spell this season. Kenedy has also played 12 games for the Toon, scoring twice.

However, Benitez is not so keen on a move for ​Leicester striker Islam Slimani. The tall Algerian failed to impress during his time at the club and was even sent back to Leicester before the season had concluded, after being ​charged with violent conduct.