With Nick Pope’s injury, age and limitations, Newcastle United are in the market for a young goalkeeper and in talks to sign Burnley’s 21-year-old shot-stopper James Trafford.
After submitting our opening bid over the weekend, here’s a closer look at Trafford; a young talent who has divided opinion on social media, but a goalkeeper who I believe would be a brilliant signing.
Nick Pope is a great shot-stopper but we all know he has his limitations, particularly with the ball at his feet. With niggling injury concerns (December’s shoulder issues was Pope’s second serious shoulder problem), Loris Karius releases and Martin Dubravka expected to depart, we know that the club soon needs to bring in competition; preferably a GK that’s young, with high-elite potential and the capability to play with their feet.
With Tosin Adarabioyo choosing to join Chelsea, Newcastle will need to spend money on a right-sided centre-back, while moves for a top right-winger and striker are also expensive priorities. As a result, there’s likely to be less money to spend on an already elite number one. This means we need more of a back-up keeper who has potential to be our number one, rather than going for someone like Giorgi Mamardashvili; the Valencia stopper expected to cost £35-40m.
This leads us to James Trafford. It must firstly be said that yes, he was poor at Burnley at last season. There’s no denying it. However, he was a 21-year-old playing for the team who conceded the 2nd most shots in the league across 2023/24; an incredibly difficult challenge for the youngest starting goalkeeper in the Premier League last season. He was thrown in at the deep end in a poor, naive side and will be stronger for that experience.
Months before joining Burnley, Trafford starred in the U21 Euros, conceding ZERO goals on the way to winning the tournament alongside Anthony Gordon. He made a heroic double save, one of which was a penalty, in the last minutes of the final:
There are no words to describe this moment.
🔥 @Jamestrafford6 🔥 pic.twitter.com/v9XaeiDjZa
— England (@England) July 8, 2023
Before the U21 Euros, he spent a season on loan at Bolton Wanderers from Manchester City U21s. He recorded 22 clean sheets as a 20-year-old and featured in the PFA Team of the Year for League One. Combine this with his heroic displays at the U21 Euros, many believed he was a future England No.1.
As a Manchester City academy graduate, Trafford has the ability to play in a possession based side. He’s also shown he can be a good sweeper; a key strength of Nick Pope’s that has become key to our style of play under Eddie Howe.
Calm as you like, Trafford 🦁 #U21EURO | @England pic.twitter.com/c7CKjYsHBt
— UEFA U17 EURO (@UEFAUnder21) June 30, 2023
He’s shown he can be a great shot-stopper across both his Bolton/Burnley spells and has great reflexes. His height (6ft 6′) and massive wingspan also gives him an incredible reach. This can help him in a multitude of situations, showing by this superb save at last summer’s Euros:
Trafford 🚫#U21EURO | @England pic.twitter.com/M7HALTjWfm
— UEFA U17 EURO (@UEFAUnder21) July 2, 2023
He’s proactive with the ball and likes to start counters quickly after making saves. I think a lot can be said about a player when their peers think highly of them. Here’s Cole Palmer talking about how good Trafford is just as he made that memorable double save to help England win the U21 Euros:
Cole Palmer 💙 "Hey I bet You he saves this." 🥶 pic.twitter.com/EhUuocXHMf
— CP20 ❄️💙 (@Cole_palmer_fr) May 24, 2024
I can understand people’s worries of course. However, the last time people worried about one of our signings (Anthony Gordon), things turned out pretty well, with him becoming arguably the Premier League’s best left winger over the 2023/24 season. I think the recruitment team have done well enough for us to trust them by now.
Overall, Trafford would represent good business for the club, in my opinion. A quality back-up option who can easily become the club’s future No.1 in a few years or so. For around £18-20m, I think the deal would get done and represent a smart and shrewd signing by the club.
A 21-year-old goalkeeper with this much first-team experience and potential rarely comes along, hence why Chelsea, Bayern Munich and other big clubs have shown an interest. We ‘bought the dip’ with Isak after a poor goalscoring season in Spain, and now we have one of the world’s best strikers. Trafford could become a similar example.
As a final message, remember that one season doesn’t define a player. Before Burnley, he was possibly the best goalkeeping prospect going, and we would have taken him in a heartbeat.
Have your worries, that’s fine and totally fair, but remember how good Trafford can be – elite if he fulfils his potential; something so many players have done under Eddie Howe.
