[ad_pod ]

Arsenal are keeping tabs on Newcastle United goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, according to Chronicle Live.

The Gunners are among a clutch of clubs keeping tabs on the 22-year-old.

What’s the word?

Woodman has just one year left on his contract and the aforementioned report claims that a number of clubs, including Everton, Fulham, Celtic and Arsenal are monitoring his situation.

The England Under-21 international has not played in the Premier League thus far this season, though he has played three times in the FA Cup.

Woodman, the report claims, was keen to leave St James’ Park on loan in January, though the deal eventually fell through due to a contract dispute.

The stopper has made a total of four first-team appearances for the Magpies and has been on four different loans since 2014; he has played for Hartlepool United, Crawley Town, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen.

Intriguingly, Woodman’s father, Andy, currently works at the Emirates Stadium as the head of academy goalkeeping, so there is no question that nepotism could be at play here.

A typical Gunners signing

Signing Woodman would be a poor piece of business from the Gunners.

The goalkeeper does not appear to have any kind of top-level experience and this may well be a case of a familial recommendation.

The stopper has yet to prove his worth but the fact that his contract is expiring at the end of next season suggests that Arsenal are simply looking for a bargain.

Woodman would likely become third-choice straight away and there is a very real question as to whether he would ever actually play in north London.

If he does make the move to Arsenal, one would expect that even more loan moves would follow.

The Gunners should just move on and forget about this Newcastle youngster.