Newcastle United are set to make a move for a “brilliant” player in 2025, and he is believed to be keen on signing for the club, according to a report.
Newcastle looking to strengthen in January
Ahead of the January transfer window, Newcastle have set out to make two new signings, with Football Insider revealing they are planning to strengthen at right wing and centre-back.
Eddie Howe is said to be determined to strengthen his squad as we enter the second half of the Premier League season, having been unable to make as many signings as he may have liked in the summer due to financial restrictions.
The need for a centre-back is particularly pressing, having missed out on Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the summer despite extensive negotiations, and the Magpies also feel they are a little light on options at right wing.
Newcastle United’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Ipswich Town (a)
December 21st
Aston Villa (h)
December 26th
Manchester United (a)
December 30th
Tottenham Hotspur (a)
January 4th
Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
January 15th
Another position that Newcastle looked at strengthening back in the summer was goalkeeper, as reported by The Daily Mail, with James Trafford coming close to completing a move to St’ James Park. The report also reveals that Howe is set to make a renewed attempt to sign Trafford in 2025, having retained a strong interest in the goalkeeper as a potential long-term replacement for Nick Pope.
A summer move is the more likely scenario, as the 22-year-old is playing every game for Burnley in their Championship promotion race as they attempt to gain promotion back to the Premier League.
However, it seems as though there may be a good chance of Newcastle finally getting their man, given that he is said to be keen on the move, so it will be interesting to see how the situation develops next year.
Newcastle have now come forward to sign their £25m top target in January
Agent contact has been made with the Magpies.
ByHenry JacksonDec 20, 2024 Trafford impressing for Burnley
The 6 foot 6 colossus already has Premier League experience, making 28 appearances in the competition, albeit in the Burnley side that were relegated from the top flight last season.
Furthermore, over the past year, the 22-year-old has been extremely impressive between the sticks, ranking in the 99th percentile for his clean sheet percentage, save percentage and goals against per 90, when compared to his positional peers.
Having been hailed as “brilliant” for his role in England’s U21 Euro final victory last year, there is every sign that the young goalkeeper could go on to play at the very highest level, so it is exciting news that Newcastle are set to make a move next year.
That said, it will be interesting to see how soon he is able to displace Nick Pope in the starting XI, given that his compatriot is still only 32-years-old, by no means near the end of his career as a goalkeeper.
