Newcastle seal first summer signing in €28.5m deal

5 Jun 2026 12:25 BST | 4 min read

Eddie Howe, Newcastle, 2025/26 — © IMAGO

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

Newcastle have reached an agreement to complete a big-money swoop for promising Reims goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, with the Premier League side set to pay €28.5 million for the France U21 shot-stopper.

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Jaouen has already agreed a four-year contract with the Premier League giants and will become the second most expensive French goalkeeper in history, with only Lucas Chevalier commanding a higher fee.

Newcastle will not pay the full price of Joauen up front, according to L’Equipe, which states that €25m will head to Reims automatically, with €3.5m potentially to follow in bonuses. The Chronicle also confirms that the deal is done.

Analysis: Jaouen is ‘perfect’ for the Premier League

The size of the fee that Newcastle have paid for Jaouen has surprised even observers in France, particularly given that initial reports stated that Reims had set their initial asking price at €20m. He only has 58 Ligue 2 appearances to his credit and has yet to play top-level football of any kind.

There was, however, ample competition from Premier League sides for the 20-year-old international, with Brighton and Tottenham both tracking him. This will have had an impact on the size of the fee.

L’Equipe comments that Jaouen’s “profile is perfectly” suited for the Premier League. So why is this?

© IMAGO - Ewen Jaouen, Reims' goalkeeper on France U21 duty

Standing at 2m tall, Jaouen is already a goalkeeper who dominates his penalty area. He is regarded as particularly strong when defending from set-piece situations, which is an area that has become especially important in the Premier League in recent months.

But it’s not just his sheer size that impresses. It’s also the manner in which he can participate in his side’s build-up play. He’s very much a modern goalkeeper and is cool under pressure. He’s happy coming out of his box to act as an additional passing option for his team-mates.

And of course, he can stop shots as displayed in his benchmark performance in a 2-0 win over Guingamp. Across all competitions last season, he conceded only 0.91 goals per game, compared to the 0.97xCG (expected conceded goals). There are, however, some concerns that he can struggle to get down to the corners effectively.

A calculated risk

Newcastle’s decision to splash out so much on a young goalkeeper will naturally be seen as a risk.

Jaouen is set to become one of the most expensive goalkeepers of all-time and yet has no top-flight experience, putting him in a unique position as he lands on Tyneside under a weight of significant expectation.

Young goalkeepers have struggled in this regard in the past. Kepa Arrizabalaga remains the most expensive shot-stopper in history when he moved to Chelsea in an €80m deal from Athletic Club. While he is now a Premier League champion with Arsenal, there is little doubt that he never came close to justifying such a fee,

Jaouen has the raw attributes to become a star in the Premier League, but it will only be when he arrives in Newcastle that it will be seen if he has the mental fortitude to shine at this level.

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