Newcastle United £25m bid & personal terms agreed - Fabrizio Romano claims deal could happen next week
Newcastle United are closing in on their first major summer signing - and it has been a long time coming.
Newcastle tried to sign goalkeeper James Trafford last summer but had two bids rejected by Burnley despite the goalkeeper agreeing to the move.
Since then, Trafford’s value has effectively doubled in The Clarets’ eyes after he kept 29 clean sheets in 45 Championship appearances to help secure promotion back to the Premier League.
Burnley reportedly value Trafford at around £40million, which would make the 22-year-old the fifth most expensive goalkeeper of all time.
Once again, a transfer fee could be a sticking point for Newcastle, with The Telegraph reporting the club has made an initial £25million bid for Trafford. It comes after The Magpies saw a £45million bid for Anthony Elanga rejected by Nottingham Forest and is likely to meet the same fate.
But Newcastle remain in negotiations and are keen to strike a deal. The move into a new PSR financial year on July 1 is likely to see the club step up their attempt to strike a deal.
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Newcastle United want James Trafford ‘deal done soon’ - Fabrizio Romano
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed earlier this week that Newcastle are locked in negotiations to sign Trafford from Burnley.
The Clarets have completed the signing of goalkeeper Max Weiss from German outfit Karlsruher SC on a four-year deal this week, with reports from Sky Germany suggesting he could be the club’s long-term No. 1.
With an effective replacement for Trafford already found, that could pave the way for Newcastle to strike a deal.
“Negotiations between Newcastle and Burnley for James Trafford are underway,” Romano tweeted. “Club to club talks continue as the deal can happen from July, so expected to accelerate from next week.”
Romano later added that Newcastle plan to get the deal done ‘soon’ with the personal terms Trafford agreed to last summer still valid. It’s just a case of reaching an agreement with Burnley.
“James Trafford and Newcastle, plan to accelerate and get deal done soon as revealed,” Romano posted on X.
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James Trafford ‘really wanted’ Newcastle United move
Without naming Newcastle explicitly, Trafford recently spoke about really wanting a transfer to happen last summer.
Speaking to former goalkeeper Ben Foster on Fozcast, Trafford admitted: “In the summer [2024], I wanted to move because the club I was close to going to was a good fit for me at the time.
“It was brilliant for me, I really believed in it and I really wanted the move. Not because I didn't want to play in the Championship, I had no shame or no ego to be like 'I'm better than Championship,' you only prove you're better than something by performing and showing people.
“It was just when the opportunity and a situation you believe suits you can happen, you should take it and you should go for it.
“So I wanted to move and it was close but it didn't end up happening. The manager [Scott Parker] was brilliant with me throughout in pre-season because I was obviously moody because I wanted to move.”