Newcastle and Chelsea are vying for the signature of Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, according to reports.

Writing on his X account, Foot Mercato reporter Santi Aouna claimed that the agent of the 27-year-old will “meet” with interested Premier League clubs in London very soon.

He believes both the Magpies and their top 5 rivals have already made enquiries about Kobel ahead of a potential transfer this summer.

The Swiss (who has been capped 11 times by his country) is expected to leave Dortmund if he receives the right offer over the coming weeks.

Newcastle are looking to replace Pope

It is no secret that Eddie Howe’s side have been considering potential successors for Nick Pope. An official bid was lodged for Burnley’s James Trafford last year.

However, negotiations stalled after the Clarets held firm on their £30m asking price. The Magpies were hoping to get the England Under 21 international for half that amount.

The club are believed to have retained an interest in Trafford but, after an outstanding season in the Championship, he could fetch an even higher figure now.

How does Kobel compare to the club’s current No.1?

The Swiss international has actually had a rather poor season with Dortmund, with his save ratio being just 65.2%. In contrast, Pope’s is much higher at 70.5%.

If we compare goals conceded to post-shot xG, Kobel’s numbers are even less impressive. His figure of -1.4 means he has actually conceded more than expected. Pope’s figure (+0.9), meanwhile, is not spectacular, but he is not costing his team goals, which is the very least you can ask of your number one.

In fact, Newcastle’s second choice, Martin Dubravka, has comparably better numbers, having a slightly higher save ratio (70.7%) this campaign than both Pope and Kobel.

Find out who is in Newcastle United’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here