Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are set to go head-to-head in the race to sign James Trafford this summer, with the young and promising English goalkeeper weighing up his future at Manchester City.
Trafford’s situation at the Etihad took an unexpected turn following the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
Following the signing of the towering Italian shot-stopper, Trafford inevitably lost his status as City’s first-choice goalkeeper.
And having been limited to just a handful of appearances this season, the 23-year-old is now believed to be keen on securing regular playing time elsewhere as he looks to continue developing his craft.
According to Football Insider, the young goalkeeper’s situation has alerted several Premier League clubs, including long-term admirers of the England international Newcastle United.
The Magpies came close to signing Trafford from Burnley last summer before City intervened, and their interest remains strong as they continue to monitor his situation closely.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are also understood to be keeping tabs, setting up a potential transfer battle between the two clubs.
For Newcastle, they’re looking to acquire the talented shot-stopper amid plans to restructure their goalkeeping department ahead of next season, with question marks surrounding the futures of Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale.
Trafford, with his age and profile, represents a long-term solution between the sticks.
Despite his reduced role at City, Trafford remains highly rated in England. He recently made his senior national team debut and delivered an impressive performance in the Carabao Cup final to display his quality and potential at the highest level.
As things stand, Newcastle may hold a slight advantage given their long-standing interest, but with Tottenham also in the picture, the race for Trafford’s signature might just be one of the more interesting stories to follow this summer.
