NEWCASTLE's suffering fans are set for yet another blow with Arsenal set to step up their interest in keeper highly-rated young keeper Tim Krul. (Daily Mirror)The 21-year-old Dutchman, who would cost around �3million, was the man-of-the-match in the club's first Championship game of the season away to West Brom.

NEWCASTLE's suffering fans are set for yet another blow with Arsenal set to step up their interest in keeper highly-rated young keeper Tim Krul. (Daily Mirror)

The 21-year-old Dutchman, who would cost around �3million, was the man-of-the-match in the club's first Championship game of the season away to West Brom.

Millions of TV viewers saw Krul perform heroics in the BBC's live game to provide hope that there is still a nucleus of talent left at the club once the under-achieving big earners are shipped out.

But Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is a huge Krul admirer and has been trying for some time to take him to the Emirates to compete with Lukasz Fabianski, Vito Mannone and Wojciech Szczesny to be No.2 to Manuel Almunia.

Krul, who stands at 6ft 2in, was first spotted by Arsenal scouts playing at the Under-17 European Championships for Holland four years ago.

They were beaten to his signature back then, however, by Newcastle who snapped him up from his club ADO Den Haag.

Since then, however, he has been on loan at Scottish side Falkirk and found himself behind first Shay Given and now Steve Harper.

Newcastle have already lost a clutch of players since being relegated back in May, including defender Sebastien Bassong and Habib Beye and strikers Obefemi Martins and Michael Owen.

But while those players had been widely expected to leave Krul's departure would be a blow.