Newcastle United were already looking ahead to January and next summer after the transfer window closed last week. However, when Karl Darlow went down with an ankle injury in training, the Magpies were forced to act.
Regardless of how long Darlow is out for, Newcastle clearly felt they had to bring in cover after respecting Martin Dubravka's wishes and letting the goalkeeper complete a loan switch to Manchester United last month. Hence the shock move for Loris Karius.
Karius looks set to join on a short-term deal after leaving Liverpool earlier this summer, and, crucially, the shot-stopper can immediately hit the ground running after keeping himself in shape during the off-season. Karius also has Premier League experience, speaks fluent English and, by all accounts, is a positive, hard-working presence in the dressing room.
READ MORE: Newcastle make unannounced summer addition behind scenes
ChronicleLive was told by someone who worked closely with Karius at Liverpool that he was a 'great lad' and, clearly, the 29-year-old is someone who can add to the group while also pushing Nick Pope and Mark Gillespie. Although Karius may not ultimately play a game for the club, it is a huge opportunity for the German, who was without a club but now, suddenly, finds himself back in the Premier League - more than four years after last top-flight appearance.
In fact, remarkably, Karius has only played five competitive matches in nearly two years and the 'keeper previously could not dislodge veteran Andreas Luthe while on loan at Union Berlin despite having two years' experience as Besiktas' number one before going out on loan once more. Yet, rather than sulk about that, Karius continued to push and support Luthe and that team-first trait will be invaluable with Pope.
You can see, then, why Eddie Howe had no fears about Karius disrupting the dressing room. This is a man who, while on loan at Besitkas, texted Jurgen Klopp and goalkeeping coach John Achterberg and said he hoped they won the Champions League after Liverpool reached the final again - a year after that night in Kiev.
Karius resents questions about what proved to be his final competitive game for Liverpool, but what could have been a night that made him an immortal ended up defining his career for all the wrong reasons after he was badly at fault for two of Real Madrid's goals in a 3-1 defeat. It was not the first time Karius had made a high-profile error and Howe will know that himself. Steve Cook even admitted that Bournemouth identified Karius as a 'weak link' before the 'keeper went on to spill the former Cherries captain's shot into Nathan Ake's path to gift Howe's side the win in 2016.
Yet those errors can sometimes disguise just how highly-rated Karius was once upon a time and Newcastle supporters witnessed that promise first-hand at Anfield in 2018. After Karius made a stunning save to keep out Mo Diame's goalbound effort, Klopp remarked: "If he's not a good goalkeeper, I would be the biggest idiot in world football if I line him up. Maybe a few people think I am but he is an outstanding, skilled goalkeeper."
Even before Karius' spell at Liverpool, the German became the youngest goalkeeper to ever play for Mainz in the Bundesliga under one Thomas Tuchel. A poll by Kicker, Germany's leading sports magazine, saw Karius' peers vote him as the second best player in his position in the Bundesliga. The first? Bayern Munich star Manuel Neuer.
It is easy to forget, too, that Karius is still relatively young for a goalkeeper. Although head coaches do not tend to work too closely with shot-stoppers, you can be sure Howe will relish the chance to get inside Karius' head and get his career back on track.
READ NEXT
Newcastle's Kevin Keegan invite plan in huge Ashley change and Alan Shearer left 'very moved'
Newcastle owners' plan Dan Ashworth has 'keen eye on' as staff member makes spending admission
Newcastle find 'wonderkid' who has got James Maddison witness excited
Michael Owen reveals what stopped him leaving Newcastle early for Liverpool despite clause
Lucas Paqueta transfer intermediary reveals Newcastle truth after West Ham put 'hard cash down'
