Newcastle have submitted an offer of around £16m for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford as Eddie Howe continues his search to add a new goalkeeper to his squad.
The Magpies were without Nick Pope for the majority of this season due to injury and the Newcastle boss would like for competition for the 32-year-old.
According to the Daily Mail, Howe is an admirer of Trafford and that has resulted in the Tyneside club submitting a £16m bid for the England international. However, that is set to be rejected as The Clarets are holding out for a £20m fee.
Discussions over a deal to sign the 21-year-old are currently ongoing and it will be a transfer that Newcastle will want to wrap up quickly as the report states that there is interest in the Burnley star from Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
The 2023/24 campaign was a tough one for Trafford as he was prone to many errors during his first season in the Premier League and was ultimately dropped by Vincent Kompany as a result of his performances.
Nevertheless, the youngster has shown signs that he can be a top goalkeeper and could be on the verge of completing a big move.
Liverpool monitoring James Trafford as Caoimhin Kelleher’s replacement
The Daily Mail mentions Liverpool as a potential next destination for Trafford and the Reds will likely make a move for the 21-year-old if Caoimhin Kelleher departs Anfield this summer.
The Ireland international has been Alisson’s backup for many years now and being 25, the goalkeeper has the desire to be a starter at a new club for the 2024/25 campaign. Nottingham Forest and Celtic reportedly have an interest in the Irishman, and should he be sold, that’s where Liverpool could move for Trafford.
However, it looks like Newcastle are determined to get a deal done for the Burnley man and by the time Kelleher’s future has been decided, Trafford will have already switched clubs.