Newcastle United are ready to make a new and improved offer for a "brilliant" transfer target, according to a key update from reliable journalist Alan Nixon.
Newcastle transfer news
Eddie Howe continues to eye up fresh faces in the summer transfer window, with Mainz attacking midfielder Brajan Gruda seen as a key target. He is a player who could dovetail beautifully with Anthony Gordon next season, assuming the Magpies are able to stave off interest in the England winger from the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.
Newcastle are also believed to have made contact with Torino and Italy centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno over a summer switch to St James' Park, with the 25-year-old having the same agent as Sandro Tonali, although he looks to be nearing a move to Napoli instead.
Exciting young Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva is seen as a standout option to bolster the defensive depth at Howe's disposal, too, as he looks to fill the void left by long-term injury victims Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles. The Portugal international appeared twice for his country at Euro 2024, prior to their exit at the hands of France, and could cost as much as £85m.
Barcelona ace Ronald Araujo has also emerged as an option at the heart of the defence, with the Uruguayan demanding a higher salary than the £114,000-a-week wages he is currently receiving at the Camp Nou. Newcastle and Manchester City are considered two clubs who could improve his earnings.
Newcastle to make new offer for "brilliant" player
According to Nixon on Patreon [via Give Me Sport], Newcastle are willing to make an improved offer for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, bidding closer to the £30m that the Clarets want for the 21-year-old's signature.
It could arrive in the coming weeks after an initial £16m effort was rebuffed, with the Magpies looking to sort out a long-term replacement for Nick Pope between the sticks, following an injury-plagued 2023/24 season for the 32-year-old.
Trafford really does seem to be Newcastle's priority choice in goal this summer, and it does now feel like a case of simply reaching an agreement that suits all parties. The Englishman may have had a tricky 2023/24 season at times, suffering relegation from the Premier League, but he is a player with such a high ceiling.
Ian Wright is one of many who have spoken of his admiration for him in the past: "He was brilliant, I was delighted for him. Coming into the Burnley side after a £19m move, Vincent Kompany has shown a lot of faith in him and he made some very, very good saves.
"A lot of the Burnley fans weren’t quite sure simply because of [Arijanet] Muric and how well he had done to come up, but he made some fantastic saves."
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Trafford arguably stands out as the most likely player to be England's long-term No.1 after Jordan Pickford, assuming he continues to grow as a player – he confidently believes that will be the case, too – and he could learn so much training alongside Pope every day, possibly usurping him in no time in the process.