As Nick Pope still looks for a new club, Newcastle United defender Leo Shahar has got a move to Portugal as their transfer window remains open still.
Premier League and EFL clubs can no longer buy or loan players in after the transfer wind closed in England on Tuesday 1 September.
However, other leagues where their summer transfer windows haven’t closed yet, they can still sign players from Newcastle United and other English clubs.
An official club announcement has revealed that promising young right-back Leo Shahar has now joined FC Arouca on loan.
They are currently third in the Portuguese top tier after four league matches played.
The summer transfer window doesn’t close in Portugal until Tuesday 15 September.
The official club announcement: ‘Newcastle United full-back Leo Shahar has completed a season-long loan switch to Portuguese top- flight side FC Arouca. The 19-year-old made his first-team debut for the Magpies earlier this year, appearing as a second-half substitute in February’s UEFA Champions League victory over Qarabağ FK at St. James’ Park. Leo now joins an Arouca team who sit third in the Primeira Liga table following a strong start to the campaign. Everybody at Newcastle United wishes Leo the very best of luck for the season ahead.’
Sean Neave got a deadline day move to Wolves earlier this week and along with Leo Shahar these two 19-year-olds are probably the closest to next come through to regular first team limits, of the young players who were already at the club ahead of this summer transfer window.
Both have got very good loan moves now at a level where if they regular football and succeed, this time next year they potentially could be ready to progress in the Newcastle United first team squad pecking order.
As for Nick Pope, he finds himself in a difficult position.
No longer part of the Newcastle United first team picture with United having brought in two new young keepers this summer, Lukas Hornicek and Ewen Jaouen.
Matthias Jaissle asked about Nick Pope’s situation on Friday at his pre-Bournemouth press conference: “There are a couple of countries where there are still options that players can move to [where their transfer windows haven’t closed yet]. I had a clear conversation with Nick a couple of weeks ago about his position here at the club and to make a move elsewhere, that is not only a club decision, it is also a decision of the players, Also the agent. There are many parts involved usually in deals and so we will see. But for now Nick is a member of the squad and I really appreciate him and what he did for the club already, how he is dealing with the situation right now.”
For Nick Pope and potentially certain other Newcastle United players as well, these are the other European leagues below that are yet to close their summer transfer windows.
France, Italy, Spain and Germany closed on the same day as England.
As well as those in Europe, there are others around the globe that still remain open. For example, in Saudi Arabia the summer window doesn’t close until 12 October 2026.
Here are the possible destinations that are still available in European leagues and the dates when their summer windows close:
Monday 7 September – Romania
Tuesday 8 September – Switzerland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic
Wednesday 9 September – Poland
Thursday 10 September – Azerbaijan
Sunday 13 September – Slovakia
Tuesday 15 September – Greece, Portugal
Wednesday 16 September – Israel
Friday 18 September – Serbia