It’s been a reasonably sluggish begin to Newcastle United’s January switch window to this point, although that’s not precisely sudden lately once we haven’t accomplished a serious signing since summer time 2023.
There’s a number of names going round in the mean time, each incomings and outgoings, but it surely’s beginning to really feel prefer it might but be one other season the place we’ll have to attend till the summer time for any offers to be made.
As reported by Craig Hope at The Mail, Newcastle’s head of recruitment Steve Nickson has been despatched to look at Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford on a number of events forward of a possible summer time transfer.
It’s believed Nickson has watched a variety of Burnley video games this season and was within the stands because the England U21 worldwide impressed in a 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough on twenty ninth December twenty ninth.
Hope reviews that Howe and recruitment employees consider Trafford has the profile and potential to ‘compete with and ultimately succeed’ Nick Pope, being attracted by his means to play out from the again.
The report states that it’s ‘nearly definitely not a deal for this month’, with Burnley pushing for promotion again to the Premier League, however Newcastle are totally anticipated to make a summer time transfer after coming ‘shut’ to signing the 22-year-old in August.
Trafford’s distribution is clearly an enormous a part of the explanation he’s been scouted by Newcastle, however the 22-year-old has additionally proved to be a very good shot-stopper this season with essentially the most clear sheets (16) and highest save share (85%) within the Championship.
Trafford isn’t the one Championship participant being watched by Newcastle United scouts, it appears.
In that very same piece for The Mail, Hope reveals that Toon expertise spotters have additionally been taking an in depth take a look at Millwall’s Romain Esse.
He states that the 19-year-old winger is on our radar as one other potential ‘mission signing’, however sources in London consider Crystal Palace are wanting to signal him this month and have already made contact with Millwall.
With that in thoughts, it appears Newcastle threat lacking out on the England youth worldwide, who would additionally stay in London ought to he be part of Oliver Glasner’s Eagles.