Burnley FC, James Trafford asking price and Newcastle United "verbal pact" revealed | OneFootball

The Clarets are reportedly after a sizeable fee for Trafford this summer

Championship promotion-hopefuls Burnley are set to demand £30 million for standout goalkeeper James Trafford this summer, amid strong interest from Premier League outfit Newcastle United, according to a new report.

Trafford has been in fine form for the Clarets this season, and has emerged as one of the second-tier's top keepers while helping his side in the push for the automatic promotion spots.

The 22-year-old joined Burnley from Manchester City in 2023 for an initial £15m, after failing to make a senior appearance for his boyhood club, following impressive loan spells at both Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers that saw him become one of the most in-demand shot-stoppers in the EFL.

He struggled last term as the Clarets endured a dismal campaign in the top-flight, but has bounced back in the second-tier this season to be at the forefront of their promotion charge under Scott Parker, thus attracting transfer interest from Premier League sides ahead of this summer.

Potential James Trafford transfer fee revealed as Newcastle agree terms

Trafford was thought to be on Newcastle's radar last summer, and the two clubs were claimed to have agreed on a £16m deal ahead of this season before the deal collapsed and he remained at Turf Moor.

He has since been a standout in the Clarets' return to the Championship, and so new rumours have emerged this week that his switch to Tyneside is expected to be completed this summer regardless of if Burnley achieve promotion back to the Premier League in May.

talkSPORT have now revealed that Burnley will demand £30million for Trafford's signature if Newcastle do make another official approach ahead of next season, with the Turf Moor outfit confident that they can command a high price for the 22-year-old, particularly if they do get promoted back to the top-flight.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has also revealed today that the Magpies agreed personal terms with Trafford last year and that the verbal pact between the two clubs and Trafford still stands to this day, while he is still top of Eddie Howe's wishlist in terms of a new goalkeeper. It certainly looks as if a deal will happen quickly following the season's end if a fee can be agreed between the pair.

James Trafford has the potential to go to the top and will be a big loss for Burnley

It is not often that a goalkeeper steals the headlines in a team that is near the top of their respective league, but Trafford has been one of the Clarets' standouts this season, so it is no shock that he looks set for a big-money move in the summer.

The 22-year-old, who was a part of England's provisional 33-member squad for Euro 2024 last year, has kept 23 clean sheets in 32 Championship appearances so far this term, while conceding just nine league goals in the same time.

He now holds the record for the most consecutive clean sheets ever in the Championship, with 11, and looks set to continue breaking records, with the fewest goals conceded in a Championship season set at 30, and the fewest goals conceded in any English league season set at 15. Each could very well be beaten in the months to come.

Not only is Trafford a strong shot-stopper, but he is more than capable of playing out from the back with short passes, and setting up attacks with long balls over the top of a defence. He has certainly matured into a level above a standard second-tier keeper this season, and the prospect of playing European football at St James' Park is sure to excite him, with a possible move to the Magpies on the horizon.