Newcastle United have completed their first summer signing, bringing in 20-year-old Reims goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen on a long-term deal as Eddie Howe begins reshaping his Premier League squad.
Ewen Jaouen Arrives From Reims
ESPN, citing PA, reported that Newcastle have not disclosed the fee for Jaouen, who joins from the second tier of French football. Howe described the France under-21 international as a promising young goalkeeper who can develop inside Newcastle's environment.
Jaouen made 34 Ligue 2 appearances last season after joining Reims from Guingamp in the summer of 2023. His profile is not that of a finished Premier League starter, and Newcastle are not presenting it that way. This is a depth and development move with a clear pathway to test.
Newcastle Goalkeeper Group Is Being Rebuilt
The signing comes as Newcastle look again at their goalkeeping department. Nick Pope kept the number one shirt for most of last season, but the options behind him are changing.
Aaron Ramsdale has returned to Southampton after his loan spell, while John Ruddy and Max Thompson are due to leave Tyneside when their contracts expire at the end of the month. That makes Jaouen's arrival practical as well as developmental.
Jaouen said he enjoys one-on-one situations, building from the back and playing with the ball at his feet. For a goalkeeper moving from Ligue 2 into the Premier League, that comfort on the ball will be watched as closely as his shot-stopping.
Howe Starts Summer After Difficult Window
Newcastle's first move also matters because last summer was uncomfortable. ESPN's report noted that the club lost Alexander Isak to Liverpool, while Yoane Wissa did not meet expectations after arriving from Brentford in a GBP55 million move.
Jaouen will not carry that kind of fee pressure, because Newcastle have not announced one. But he does arrive with a specific job: add fresh competition behind Pope, give Howe a younger goalkeeper to develop, and start a summer window that Newcastle need to manage more cleanly than the last one.