Newcastle Face Big Decision Over Young Goalkeeper Freddie Woodman in the Summer

​Newcastle United will have to decide whether they want to extend goalkeeper Freddie Woodman's contract in the summer or let him run into the final 12 months of his current deal.

The 22-year-old stopper is currently on loan at Championship side Swansea and has impressed in the first half of the campaign - with only Leeds' Kiko Casilla and Brentford's David Raya keeping more clean sheets than Woodman (8) in the division. 

Woodman's current deal with the Magpies means he's currently tied down to the club until the summer of 2021, but both Newcastle and the player want his future sorted out this summer. 

After being told he was the club's third-choice keeper two years ago, Woodman refused to sign a new deal. However, a guarantee that he'd get regular first-team football while on loan with the Swans persuaded him to sign a new deal at St. James' Park. 

His impressive displays have meant that Swansea would love to sign Woodman on a full-time basis, but unless they gain promotion - with Steve Cooper's side currently sixth in the table - it would be a hard deal to pull off. 

Speaking about Woodman's success in South Wales, Cooper said, as quoted by the Evening Chronicle: "Freddie is a young player, particularly in goalkeeping terms.

"He’s thriving off the fact he’s playing week-in, week-out in the Championship, which he’s not had before."

The Croydon-born keeper has been a fixture in Newcastle's Under-23 side - making 47 appearances since 2016 - but has made just four appearances for the senior side and has had loan spells at Crawley, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen in a bid to get regular first-team football. 

If the 22-year-old is to sign a new deal with the Magpies, he'll need regular football once more next season or at least have the opportunity of battling out with current first-choice keeper Martin Dubravka for the starting spot.