Thomas Tuchel’s key Nick Pope statement as James Trafford stunned after Newcastle decision
The Newcastle United goalkeeper has made a late run for a World Cup call-up
Goalkeepers Nick Pope and Dean Henderson are back-up to Jordan Pickford
Nick Pope’s call-up to the England squad is a ‘reward’ for his outstanding performances at Newcastle United, admits Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.
Pope was handed a call-up to the national team squad for the upcoming games against Serbia and Albania after his form so far this season. Only Arsenal’s David Raya has kept more clean sheets than Pope in the Premier League.
Not only that, but the 33-year-old is now playing at the top level in the Champions League. The ex-Burnley man has kept three successive clean sheets in the competition, making outstanding saves against Athletic Bilbao this week and against Benfica in Newcastle’s previous game.
Pope will be the third choice England shot-stopper for the two upcoming games, behind Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson, but his inclusion in the squad so close to the World Cup finals – there is likely to only be one more squad selected by Tuchel between now and the naming of the squad for the finals – is a huge boost for the player.
He is hoping to leapfrog James Trafford for that No 3 spot, ironically after Trafford turned down the opportunity to move to Tyneside this summer and compete against Pope for the Newcastle first choice job. Newcastlle moved for Aaron Ramsdale instead and the loanee is spurring on his teammate to greater heights.
Tuchel says he wants to ‘get to know’ Pope in person, having brought him in alongside Newcastle teammates Dan Burn and Anthony Gordon. The goalkeeper won 10 England caps under Gareth Southgate and was in the 2022 World Cup squad, but hasn’t appeared in a squad under the German.
“Nick plays a fantastic season for Newcastle,” said Tuchel. “He’s in shape and he’s contributing, he plays Champions League football on a regular basis.
“This was the camp now for us to reward him for that, to acknowledge him and show him our respect and appreciation for what he does for Newcastle and have the chance to get to know him.
“We see him live, we see him on TV but we want to meet the person and see and feel what he can bring to the team.”
Tuchel’s comments follow on from his initial explanation for dropping Trafford, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Morgan Gibbs-White and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
‘Myles was a very good team-mate and played for us in the last camp in the World Cup qualifier in Riga, so was Ruben Loftus-Cheek, so was Morgan Gibbs-White and James Trafford,” Tuchel said.
“But I said last time there is a component to it that it’s about competition and performance and the door is always open for guys who perform on a regular and high level.
“Myles, Ruben and Morgan [and Trafford] got out-performed by Nico O’Reilly, Alex Scott, Nick Pope and Jude in their positions.”
For Trafford, it’s a huge blow. The 23-year-old is rated as the best young English goalkeeping prospect in a long time after his stellar performances for Burnley last season helped them to promotion.
Newcastle had tracked Trafford for two years, and were on the verge of signing him in the summer of 2024 before pulling out of the deal due to PSR issues. They returned for the player last summer, but couldn’t agree terms with Burnley and Trafford decided to move back to Manchester City instead after they activated a clause in the original transfer that saw him leave the Etihad for Turf Moor.
Trafford started the season in goal for City but was then stunned by Pep Guardiola’s decision to sign Italian superstar Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG late in the window. Since his arrival, Trafford has only had two Carabao Cup appearances.
Guiardiola, however, insists that Trafford will be England’s No 1 ‘sooner or later’ despite not playing the Cumbrian.
Guardiola added: “We have an incredible keeper. For England, sooner or later, he will be the one.
“I am pretty sure Gigi learns from James and James learns from Gigi. The goalkeepers are always connected.”
