Newcastle United have an EFL talent on their radar radar it seems, with The Sun reporting that they are prepared to make a bid to bring in Josh Griffiths from West Brom.
Who is Josh Griffiths?
The goalkeeper has yet to test his luck in the Premier League, having played only in the Championship, League One and League Two over the course of his career so far. He has worked his way up through the divisions well though, initially joining Cheltenham on loan from West Brom. He helped guide them to a fourth tier title, managing 44 league games and conceding only 37 times along the way. That led to a move up into the third tier with Lincoln, where he once more played a prominent role. Whilst not as successful, a further 33 league outings gave him valuable League One experience.
He was then shipped back out on loan to League One with Portsmouth. After 22 more fixtures (with 27 goals conceded) in the 2022/23 season, he was given a short opportunity in the first-team of his parent club. Over the last 365 days, he sits in the top 17% for clean sheet percentage amongst other 'keepers in the Men's 'Next 8' competitions (those after the big five European leagues).
Now, it appears as though he may be gifted the chance to try his luck in the Premier League. That's because according to a report from The Sun, Newcastle are considering a bid to sign the shot-stopper as they look to bolster their ranks at the back. He may not be a starter for them but he is seen as a potential back-up for Nick Pope, and key club figure Dan Ashworth is a personal admirer.
What is Josh Griffiths' transfer value?
There is no official bid on the table yet and there is no potential fee spoken about yet either. However, CIES Football Observatory suggest that Griffiths' value lies around the 5 million Euros mark (or £4.2m). Considering the riches Newcastle now have, that could be a drop in the ocean to them for a player with a potentially bright future.
He's already a highly regarded player in the Championship – his current boss Carlos Corberan stated that Griffiths is playing "like a Premier League goalkeeper" already despite his age. It means that there might not be too much for the shot-stopper to work on and he may not struggle to adapt either – meaning he could eventually make a very suitable number one if Newcastle do sign him.
