Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Talking forward of final night time’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool, Eddie Howe addressed rumours that the membership has agreed phrases with one in all their most wanted targets forward of the summer season switch window.
The participant, who Newcastle have pursued for a number of home windows up to now, is extensively anticipated to reach forward of the 2024/25 season, with discuss of a summer season switch ramping up earlier this month.
Nonetheless, if Howe’s feedback this week are something to go by, a deal just isn’t at present as superior as some within the media are claiming…though we’ve heard that earlier than!
Final week, The Mail’s Craig Hope reported that there’s now an expectation Burnley’s James Trafford shall be a Newcastle United participant subsequent season.
He claimed the participant remains to be eager to signal after an settlement was in place on the participant’s aspect final summer season, insisting a deal is on monitor, whether or not the Clarets are promoted or not. Nonetheless, Howe’s tackle such rumours was a really completely different one.
Addressing the present hypothesis about Trafford’s potential summer season transfer to Tyneside, Howe mentioned: “I don’t consider we’re in that place with any participant. The summer season window is a good distance away and we have now not begun these discussions.”
In equity, Howe was by no means going to say a lot completely different whereas Burnley are battling for promotion and we’re nonetheless just a few months away from the summer season window, nevertheless it’s the primary time he’s publicly addressed the rumours.
Hope wasn’t the one reporter to debate Trafford’s future final week, with Fabrizio Romano stating that private groups had been agreed final summer season, with a “verbal pact nonetheless legitimate” between each events.
One concern is that if Burnley are promoted, how a lot would his asking worth improve? The price may probably fluctuate relying on their league standing and simply how crucial the membership see Trafford to their success subsequent season.
It’s believed we had a £16m bid rejected final summer season and, after 12 straight clear sheets and two penalty saves towards Sunderland, Trafford’s inventory is barely rising.
Given his age (22), potential and prior Premier League expertise, Trafford understandably sits prime of Eddie Howe’s listing of desired keepers; however the place would that depart the 2 different No.1 keepers on the membership’s books.
Martin Dubravka has solely simply signed a contract extension with the membership earlier this month, and is many followers’ most popular starter for the remainder of the marketing campaign after taking part in a stable function in our good run of wins throughout December and January.
Nick Pope in the meantime has been a protracted standing favorite of Howe, however his unconvincing return to the beginning XI over the previous two video games has seen him obtain criticism.
If Pope’s finest days actually are behind him, maybe he might be the keeper to maneuver on this summer season, with Dubravka’s new deal guaranteeing he stays as a dependable back-up choice?
