“Terrific” £15m player “would love” Newcastle to make new move for him

A “terrific” Newcastle United target “would love” to move to St. James’ Park, and a deal for a fee of around £15m is possible, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Newcastle returning to form

After an inconsistent start to the Premier League season, Newcastle have shown signs of a return to form over the past few weeks, sealing three wins on the bounce with a 4-0 victory against Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday.

The Magpies have been particularly impressive from an attacking point of view, scoring 18 goals in their last five matches in all competitions, and the ever-reliable Alexander Isak was in fine form in front of goal on Saturday, bagging his first hat-trick for the club.

As such, a new striker may not be at the top of Eddie Howe’s shortlist heading into the January transfer window, but he has been looking at strengthening at the opposite end of the pitch for quite some time.

Back in the summer, Newcastle were in negotiations with Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, but they failed to get a deal over the line and Nick Pope has remained the first-choice option this season.

However, the Magpies have now renewed their interest in the 22-year-old, and they are expected to make a move in 2025, with a summer move more likely as the Clarets are unlikely to want to sell one of their key players during a promotion race. Jacobs has now dropped a positive new claim on Trafford’s potential move to St. James’ Park, saying on NUFC Matters as relayed by TBR Football:

“James Trafford we know has a bit more of a concrete history. Newcastle had negotiated and had pushed and made an offer,”

“The player would love Newcastle to make another formal approach. The feeling is that Trafford might be available for £12-15m all in and Newcastle may be able to make that one work. So Trafford could be one to watch.”

Trafford could be one for the future for Newcastle

Considering his age, the Englishman is not yet in the prime of his career, but he is showing signs that he could be a solid long-term replacement for Pope, who is now 32 years old.

Former Burnley manager Vincent Kompany lauded the shot-stopper as “terrific” last season, although his efforts weren’t enough to prevent the Clarets from being relegated from the top flight.

A clean sheet percentage of 57.1% over the past year places the former Bolton Wanderers man in the 98th percentile compared to his positional peers, highlighting just how well he has been performing in recent times.

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The Magpies have been watching a defender.

As such, Newcastle should continue to pursue Trafford, particularly considering he would be keen on a move to St. James’ Park, and the deal is relatively affordable at just £15m or slightly less.