Martin Dubravka has opened up about one of the most difficult periods of his career, revealing how stunned and frustrated he was when Eddie Howe dropped him just days after convincing him to stay at Newcastle United.
The Slovakian goalkeeper, who spent seven years at St James’ Park, admitted that the emotional rollercoaster of his final months at the club left him mentally drained, confused, and deeply disappointed.
Dubravka eventually joined Burnley in the summer, but long before his departure, he was already preparing to leave during the January 2025 window. In December 2024, with less than a year left on his contract, a firm offer arrived from Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia.
It was a move that made sense for all parties. Dubravka wanted regular football, Newcastle were entering a transition period, and the financial package from Saudi Arabia was life-changing. At that time, Howe told him he could go, giving him the green light to start arranging his exit.
But everything changed when Nick Pope Newcastle’s first-choice goalkeeper suffered a knee injury. Suddenly, Dubravka was needed again. The club asked him to delay his departure until after the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal on January 7.
Even though he had already vacated his home, packed up with his family, and travelled to London before heading to Riyadh, he agreed to stay a bit longer for the sake of the team.
What followed was a whirlwind of mixed messages, uncertainty, and emotional stress. Dubravka explained that he had already said goodbye to everyone at the club.
He had hugged teammates, thanked the staff, and walked out of the training ground believing it was the last time he would be there. So when Eddie Howe told him he would call the next morning, he found it strange but he still didn’t expect a complete reversal of decisions.
The next day, while Dubravka was still in his London hotel, bags packed and flight to Saudi ready, Howe phoned him to say Newcastle couldn’t let him leave after all. With Pope injured and the team fighting on multiple fronts, Howe insisted he was needed.
Dubravka said he was shocked because he had believed the original agreement was final. His mind had already shifted to the next chapter of his life, and the sudden change left him feeling sick from stress.
Then came another twist: instead of leaving, Newcastle offered him a new contract that would keep him at the club longer. The deal didn’t come close to the financial package that Saudi Arabia could offer, but that didn’t matter to Dubravka.
He always loved Newcastle, and the idea of staying despite the emotional chaos still meant something special to him. He turned down the bigger-money move, returned to Tyneside, and played in the FA Cup match against Bromley. After the game, discussions continued, and the new contract was finalised.
Everything looked settled. Dubravka felt committed again, proud to stay loyal to the club where he had built his Premier League career. He signed the new contract on a Thursday. But on Saturday, just two days later, Howe dropped him from the starting lineup.
Pope was back, and Dubravka suddenly found himself on the bench again. After all the stress, sacrifices, and the emotional decision to reject a life-changing move, he couldn’t believe what had happened. He said the conversation with Howe after that match was extremely uncomfortable and left him stunned.
From that moment, his Newcastle career quietly faded. He played only one more match for the club the FA Cup fifth-round game against Brighton in March. Although he continued to train and remain professional, he knew deep down that the trust between him and the manager had been cracked.
When the season ended, the opportunity to join Burnley came up, and this time there was no hesitation. He left St James’ Park with a mixture of sadness and relief after a year that took a heavy emotional toll.
Dubravka made it clear that he never wanted things to end that way. Newcastle was a place he loved, and he had imagined a different goodbye. But football can be unpredictable and sometimes harsh.
His decision to stay loyal, only to be dropped days later, was something he struggled to accept. And now, as he begins a fresh chapter at Burnley, he carries the mixed memories of a dramatic final spell at the club that once felt like home.
