adminNewcastle United have agreed personal terms with James Trafford as they now look to strike a transfer agreement with Burnley.The Telegraph have reported Newcastle have submitted a £25million bid for the 22-year-old, but it’s some way short of Burnley’s £40million valuation.
Newcastle want to sign Trafford as the club’s new long-term goalkeeper. The plan is for him to initially compete with Nick Pope for a starting spot in Eddie Howe’s side before eventually succeeding him as Newcastle’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Pope, 33, has a year left on his current contract at Newcastle but played an important role in the club’s Carabao Cup win and Champions League qualification despite being sidelined for over two months with a knee injury during the season.Elsewhere in Newcastle’s goalkeeper department, John Ruddy is set to become a free agent next week, while Martin Dubravka is likely to leave despite signing a contract extension in February following serious transfer interest from Al-Shabab.
Odysseas Vlachodimos’ future is also uncertain with the goalkeeper likely to be made available to leave on loan after playing just 45 minutes of competitive football last season.
Vlachodimos is technically Newcastle’s club record goalkeeper signing after he arrived from Nottingham Forest in a £20million PSR-motivated move.
The Magpies will have to smash that record in order to land Trafford this summer, with Burnley holding out for around £40million.
The Gazette has launched a new WhatsApp NUFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our NUFC WhatsApp channel.Fabrizio Romano provides James Trafford transfer update
Newcastle had a deal lined up to sign Trafford last summer, but it failed to materialise due to PSR pressure and Burnley’s valuation.
They will be hoping to get the deal over the line a year on, despite Trafford’s value increasing significantly.
But the framework is in place for Newcastle to complete a deal, it’s just a case of reaching an agreement with Burnley over a financial package.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said: “James Trafford has fully agreed personal terms with Newcastle and talks between clubs keep advancing.
“No agreement yet on fee with Burnley but expectation remains to get it done in the next days. #NUFC confident as reported.”Trafford made headlines last season after claiming he is a ‘world-class’ goalkeeper after helping Burnley to promotion from the Championship.
Clarets boss Scott Parker initially made the claim when discussing Trafford’s performance in a win over Watford as he said: “A really big moment, a big moment for him – the sign of a top, top world-class goalkeeper, really, that at times, and even in the second half, when he’s pretty redundant, really, but he has to come up with big saves in big moments, collect balls from crosses.
“Not just today, you’re seeing someone who, for large parts, for the majority of this season, has been top draw for us.”
When Parker’s comments were put to Trafford, the goalkeeper responded: “I know I’m a world-class goalkeeper!”
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