Released Mag reveals why he rejected Newcastle offer – despite Howe’s wish to keep him

Former Liverpool stopper Loris Karius has opened up on his two-year stint at Newcastle, revealing that he turned down the chance to sign a new deal on Tyneside earlier this year.

The goalkeeper joined the Magpies in 2022 and even made his debut in their League Cup final loss to Manchester United loss that season. The German was brought in as a backup and made just a single Premier League outing during his time.

After two seasons, the 31-year-old did not extend his contract, which expired at the end of last season, seeing him depart over the summer. He remains a free agent and it’s not clear whether retirement is on the cards for him.

But, in a surprising revelation, Karius has admitted that Eddie Howe wanted to keep him at the club, though he was not prepared to do that as the ‘whole package didn’t make sense’ for him if he was unlikely to receive much game time.

“It didn’t really make sense to me to do a third year. I don’t know,” he said. “I asked myself, ‘Was I the second-choice and would I get games?’ It was difficult. The coach would have liked to keep me but, all in all, the whole package didn’t make sense for a third year. It made sense to move on.

“They were two great years but it was time for a change. In the second season, when Pope was injured, I expected, or hoped, to play games.

Karius added: “In the end, there was always a reason why it didn’t happen. That’s the only thing I look back on with regret because if I had played the second half of that season, then we probably wouldn’t be talking now and I’d be at another club, starting afresh. But that’s football. You can’t change it.

“If you’ve been out for as long as I have then you obviously have to consider retirement. I haven’t made a decision yet because there’s no need to. I’m still fit. I still have all the potential and the ability.”