Newcastle United are still pushing to sign goalkeeper James Trafford from Burnley.
This week was viewed as a make-or-break week for Newcastle in their pursuit of Trafford, who has been a top goalkeeping target for over a year.
The 22-year-old has agreed personal terms with Newcastle but a transfer fee with Burnley is still yet to be agreed after The Clarets rejected a £27million bid last month.
The negotiation stalemate over the past couple of weeks has cast some uncertainty over the transfer, which was previously understood to be very close. But The Magpies are making an active effort to thrash out the deal as soon as possible, having landed Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest earlier this week.
Like Elanga, who knows Alexander Isak, Emil Krafth and William Osula well, Trafford also has some strong connections at Newcastle.
The goalkeeper has been part of the England Under-21s set-up with Anthony Gordon, while Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope prematurely and perhaps accidentally teased the transfer with a message on social media.
‘Agent’ Nick Pope Instagram comment drops major NUFC transfer hint
Last month, Trafford shared a video showing his England’s Under-21 European Championship heroics from 2023.
Trafford helped England win the tournament by not conceding a goal and saving a stoppage time penalty in the final against Spain.
Although not Newcastle-related, that didn’t stop former Burnley and current Magpies goalkeeper Pope replying to Trafford’s Instagram story.
“See you soon s-------,” Pope commented, dropping a strong hint over a move to Newcastle.
But that Instagram story, and indeed Pope’s comment, were quickly removed from Trafford’s profile. P
Should Trafford join Newcastle, he is likely to compete with Pope for the starting goalkeeper spot rather than walk straight into the 11.
The plan for Trafford is for him to come in and initially compete with Pope before eventually becoming his long-term replacement as Newcastle’s first-choice goalkeeper.
After Osula’s role teasing Newcastle’s move for Elanga and meeting up with the winger saw him dubbed as an ‘agent’ by supporters on social media, Pope’s message saw people apply the same moniker to him.
But there’s actually a much stronger ‘agent’ candidate in Newcastle’s squad as far as Trafford is concerned.
James Trafford messages Newcastle United ‘agent’ after pre-season return
Trafford returned to pre-season training at Burnley this week while Newcastle’s first-team squad returned at Darsley Park.
Among the returning players was 22-year-old Cumbrian Joe White, fresh from an impressive loan spell at MK Dons in League Two.
While White’s future at Newcastle is up in the air as he turns 23 in October and is no longer classed as a youth player, he is set to be given an opportunity to impress in pre-season. The potential departure of Sean Longstaff also gives White a window to step up as the only other club-trained player in Eddie Howe’s squad over the age of 21 - a small boost as far as the Champions League squad is concerned.
Despite glowing reports from MK Dons, the step up from League Two to the Champions League, even as a bit-part player, poses major challenges.
But upon his return to training this week, White shared a gallery of images of himself at Darsley Park on Instagram.
Among the first people to comment on the post was none other than Trafford himself.
The goalkeeper simply wrote: “Chalky.”
The message seems completely random at first glance, but makes more sense when you realise the two are close friends.
Trafford and White are the same age, grew up in Cumbria and played for Carlisle United at academy level before joining Manchester City and Newcastle respectively. The pair also represented England Under-18s in the same period but have never played together since leaving Carlisle.
Will that finally change this summer?
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