Newcastle United transfers: James Trafford looked set to be one of Newcastle United’s first major signings last summer.
Newcastle United pushed to sign James Trafford from Burnley for two successive summers but were unable to get the deal over the line.
Back in 2024, Trafford agreed personal terms to join Newcastle but the deal was scuppered as a transfer fee couldn’t be agreed with Burnley.
History then repeated itself last summer only for Manchester City to swoop in and hijack the deal to bring their former academy goalkeeper back to the club. As Man City had a sell-on clause, having sold Trafford to Burnley two years prior, they were able to agree a cut-price £27million deal ahead of The Magpies.
But Trafford’s return to City hasn’t lived up to expectations for the goalkeeper so far. He started the first three games of the Premier League season for Pep Guardiola’s side but hasn’t featured in a top-flight match since the arrival Gianluigi Donnarumma joined the club from Paris Saint-Germain.
Donnarumma has been the club’s first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League in the Champions League while Trafford has been limited to domestic cup appearances and one game in the Champions League.
James Trafford makes Manchester City frustrations clear
After starting Man City’s 2-0 FA Cup win over Salford City on Saturday, Trafford couldn’t hide his frustration at his situation.
“Yeah, it’s been good,” he said. “I didn’t expect the situation [with Manchester City signing Donnarumma] to happen but it happened, so just get on with it.
“So it’s happened so I work very hard every day and see what happens, give it my best shot.”
Speaking to Match of the Day, Trafford admitted: “I tried to guard against this situation [playing only cup games] happening, but it's the reality.”
When asked if he was told he would be Manchester City’s No. 1 for the season, Trafford said: “No, it wasn’t that. So it is what it is. It’s football, you’ve got to keep grafting every day and the games that come, play as hard as you can. This is just another experience to add to my career and it has been a good learning experience.”
Trafford signed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium until 2030 with an option of a further year. But with his return so far failing to live up to expectations, he isn’t ruling out a summer move.
“Who knows, it’s football,” he continued. “Let’s take it a day at a time and try and work as hard as I can and whatever happens, happens.
“I’ve obviously got a contract, so don’t know what happens next season. I just know that I’ll just take it a day at a time and try and improve.”
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Has the James Trafford ship sailed for NUFC?
Newcastle viewed Trafford as a long-term solution in the goalkeeper department with Martin Dubravka and Odysseas Vlachodimos leaving the club over the summer, and Nick Pope having just 18 months left on his current deal.
The Magpies are yet to fully address the goalkeeper situation and Trafford’s lack of first-team action and frustration at City has linked him with a quick exit from the club.
When asked if the Trafford ‘ship has sailed’ for Newcastle last month, Howe was keen to praise his former transfer target.
“I think he's a very, very good goalkeeper,” Howe admitted. “I'm a big fan of his, and I think Manchester City are really in a great position with the two goalkeepers that they have.
“They've probably got more than that, but the two ones that have been involved this season, fantastic goalkeepers.”
Newcastle United goalkeeper decision looms
After missing out on Trafford, Newcastle moved to sign Aaron Ramsdale on loan from Southampton with a £20million option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.
Ramsdale’s role at Newcastle has been similar to Trafford’s at City. He has started all but one of Newcastle’s domestic cup matches so far this season but an injury to Pope in November saw Ramsdale make seven Premier League appearances as well as one in the Champions League.
With Trafford open to leaving Man City in the summer, Newcastle having an option to make Ramsdale’s move permanent and even Vlachodimos enjoying a strong season on loan at Sevilla, the club are facing some big goalkeeper decisions this summer.
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