Josh Griffiths could be the next to arrive at Newcastle United.
Reporting on Sunday states that the young goalkeeper is on Dan Ashworth’s wish list of signings.
Only 21 but Josh Griffiths has already got over 120 first team senior games behind him, having played in all three divisions under Premier League level.
Out on loan at Cheltenham in League Two, then Portsmouth and Lincoln in League One, before then finally getting his chance with West Brom in the Championship, starting 10 games in the final months of the season.
In the end the Baggies missed out on the play-offs by only three points but failure to get promoted has left them in a desperate position.
With no more parachute payments and an ever worsening financial crisis, West Brom unlikely to be able to fight off interest in their best players, including young keeper Josh Griffiths.
Journalist Alan Nixon writing via his Patreon account, says that his information is that Newcastle United Sporting Director Dan Ashworth is a ‘huge fan’ of Josh Griffiths and wants to make him NUFC’s next signing.
Like Newcastle United CEO Darren Eales, Dan Ashworth was formerly at West Brom, the club’s Technical Director until headhunted by The FA in 2012.
As well as overseeing the bringing in of players at first team level, just as he did at Brighton, Dan Ashworth is looking to strengthen all areas of Newcastle United and amongst the most important of these, is a massive drive to bring in the best young talent from the UK and overseas at just below first team level.
That has seen the likes of Garang Kuol and most recently Yankuba Minteh arrive, before then immediately loaned out to Hearts and Feyenoord respectively. This was a key part of the Dan Ashworth model at Brighton and that has served them spectacularly well, bringing in promising players and placing them on loan to help them rapidly develop.
If Newcastle United do sign Josh Griffiths, no surprise if he is instantly loaned out and indeed, no surprise, if that club was West Brom, if Dan Ashworth and Eddie Howe believed it to be the best route to get the young keeper to another level. An arrangement that could well suit the Baggies in their desperate financial state.
The senior goalkeeping situation at Newcastle United sees Nick Pope currently undoubted number one. Whilst Mark Gillespie has been given another year’s contract and an offer is also on the table for Loris Karius.
Karl Darlow looks very likely to leave for first team football, Hull amongst those who are interested.
Whilst Martin Dubravka also has question marks, as to whether he will be happy to stay as number two to Nick Pope?