June 9th 2024.
There has been quite a buzz surrounding James Trafford lately, with reports of him catching the eye of not one, but two Premier League clubs. Burnley, his current team, have put a hefty £30m price tag on him as Chelsea and Newcastle United compete for his signature.
Despite a rocky start to his debut season in the Premier League with Burnley, Trafford is still regarded as one of the most promising and talented goalkeepers in the country. He started in 28 of Burnley's 38 league games last season, but was benched for the remaining ten as Vincent Kompany, who has since moved to Bayern Munich, chose Arijanet Muric over him.
Despite his struggles, it was surprising to see Trafford included in England's provisional squad for the Euro 2024 tournament, alongside goalkeeping stalwarts Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale, and Dean Henderson. Although he was ultimately left out of the final 26-man squad, the fact that he was even considered speaks to his potential. Trafford has also represented England at various youth levels and was part of the U21 team that won the European Championships last year.
His impressive performances for both club and country have not gone unnoticed, with Chelsea and Newcastle lining up bids for him ahead of the summer transfer window. Chelsea's new manager, Enzo Maresca, is reportedly a big fan of Trafford, having previously worked with him at Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Newcastle is also in the market for a new goalkeeper and has set their sights on Trafford due to Arsenal's high asking price for Ramsdale. Burnley, however, is determined to hold on to their top players, especially after being relegated to the Championship. They have made it clear that any club looking to sign Trafford will have to cough up at least £30m.
This means that Newcastle will need to significantly increase their initial offer of £16m, which was rejected by Burnley over the weekend. Despite being snubbed for the Euros squad, Trafford remains focused on his future and is determined to prove himself as a top goalkeeper in the Premier League.
As for the England team, they are gearing up for their upcoming Euro 2024 campaign, with their base camp located in Blankenhain. However, they suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to Iceland in their final warm-up game. According to manager Gareth Southgate, the team has had some challenges in their preparation, with players being substituted early in the game and some key players missing from the line-up.
Despite the disappointing result, Southgate remains confident in his team and is determined to address the issues before their first match against Serbia. He acknowledges that they need to improve their pressing and positioning on the field, but he believes they will be ready for the challenges ahead. The team has a strong pool of talent, but as Southgate points out, it's important to have a solid defensive game as well.
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