Newcastle United set to sign Ligue 2 goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen for £18.5m in 2026

Newcastle United will pay £18.5m for 20-year-old goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen from Stade de Reims, despite him having no top-flight experience.

Jaouen's journey to the Premier League Ewen Jaouen developed a strong admiration for the Bundesliga early on, though his career path initially pointed elsewhere. A former goalkeeper coach once noted that Jaouen’s traits could translate well to English football. Those remarks from Christophe Lollichon turned out to be strikingly accurate. After completing a medical examination, Jaouen is now on the verge of joining Newcastle United on a permanent deal worth around £18.5 million. ## The promise of a young goalkeeper Newcastle’s willingness to invest heavily in Jaouen highlights the faith they have in his untapped potential. At just 20 years old, he has never featured in top-tier football, having spent his career in France’s Ligue 2. His move to Newcastle represents a massive leap in competition, demanding significant adjustment. Still, the club’s confidence in his abilities remains unwavering. ## Goalkeeping mentor's high praise Christophe Lollichon, who has worked with top shot-stoppers like Petr Cech, Thibaut Courtois, and Edouard Mendy, has closely guided Jaouen. The French coach also oversaw Jaouen during his loan at USL Dunkerque in the 2024-25 season. Lollichon believes Jaouen’s ceiling is virtually limitless given his potential and age. 'Ewen is only 20 so, if the context is positive, I don’t know the limit for him,' he remarked. ## Standout attributes and areas to develop Jaouen stands at 6ft 6in and possesses a commanding presence in the box. He is quick to react, shows competence in distributing the ball, and can produce crucial saves when under pressure. While his technical skills are still developing, his physical profile and natural instincts suggest significant room for growth. Lollichon has even drawn comparisons between Jaouen and Courtois when the Belgian was first scouted at 17. ## Newcastle's cautious integration plan Rather than thrusting Jaouen straight into Premier League action, the club intends to ease him into the demands of England’s top flight. Lollichon warns that throwing a young goalkeeper into such a high-pressure environment prematurely could be risky. 'I think the objective of Newcastle is for him to observe the new level in his first season,' he explained. 'The intensity, the quality of the players, is a big change but Ewen has this ability to observe and adapt very quickly. He’s very professional. He’s not a guy who speaks all the time—he’s very discreet. What I’m saying is a little bit old-fashioned, but he needs to feel love around him.' ## Overcoming early setbacks with resilience Jaouen’s progress has been marked by resilience after facing adversity. Following some mistakes, he lost his starting role at Dunkerque to the more experienced Adrian Ortola, who had superior skills in playing out from the back. Instead of surrendering, Jaouen learned from the experience and refined his approach. His coach noted that he initially appeared hesitant about certain tactical adjustments, particularly around positioning during aerial duels. ## Defining moments in cup competition Jaouen’s breakthrough came during Dunkerque’s impressive run in the French Cup during 2024-25. His composure under pressure was on full display in a high-stakes one-on-one against Lille’s Jonathan David. Despite David’s attempt to chip the ball, Jaouen remained composed, denying the striker without conceding ground. The match later went to penalties, where Jaouen took the sixth spot-kick for his team. ## Penalty heroics and tactical awareness Jaouen took charge at the decisive moment, calmly slotting home his penalty despite Lille’s goalkeeper Vito Mannone trying to disrupt his routine. 'He’s very solid, and these two situations show something very important,' Lollichon said. 'Firstly, he was in a one-on-one situation and David was waiting for Ewen to go down, but he never gave a solution to him. David tried to chip the ball, but Ewen stayed standing. The pressure was very high yet he was very calm. It later went to penalties. We decided to put Ewen as the sixth shooter and he was absolutely clear in his head. When he came to take the penalty, Mannone tried to dominate the timing of the penalty and Ewen took control. Mannone was a little bit surprised because he had a young guy in front of him, but the penalty was unbelievable.' ## From Ligue 2 standout to Premier League target Jaouen returned to Reims reinvigorated after his cup heroics, seizing the opportunity to establish himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper in 2025-26. His performances caught the attention of scouts, leading to Newcastle’s sustained interest over several months. This deal marks Newcastle’s first signing of the transfer window, signaling a strategic shift after a challenging summer in 2025. Having recruited several Premier League-experienced players last year, the club is now focusing on uncovering hidden gems abroad who could thrive under the right guidance. ## Proactive style fits England's demands Lollichon emphasized that English football lacks goalkeepers who take an assertive approach compared to most in the league. He stressed that Jaouen will require support as he adapts to a new environment. 'In England, except David Raya, there are not necessarily a lot of proactive goalkeepers,' Lollichon noted. 'But Ewen needs to be helped because imagine when you start in a new competition? He could play English cup games—that would be a very good start—and will try to secure his position, which is normal. If he understands the advantage to play proactively, he could be very interesting.'