Following his injury time heroics to see England become European U21 champions on Saturday evening, beating Spain 1-0, goalkeeper James Trafford should prove to be a marvellous coup for Vincent Kompany’s Burnley side.
Fabrizio Romano has all but confirmed the 20-year-old’s transfer to the Clarets for an initial fee of £14m, plus £5m in add ons, and a 20% sell on clause heading Manchester City’s way should the youngster ever move on permanently in the future.
Eyebrows were raised at first when a package totalling a possible £19m was touted for the signing of a player whose only experience of first team football came in the third tier, but his brilliant performances whilst on loan with Bolton Wanderers have now been boosted further by the outstanding role he played in England’s U21 Euros campaign.
Trafford did not concede a single goal for the entirety of the tournament. That all looked set to end in the dying minutes of stoppage time when Spain were awarded a penalty courtesy of VAR, but the Englishman had other ideas. He produced a fantastic save to deny Abel Ruiz from the spot, reacted quickly to save the Spaniard’s rebound attempt and was then pounced on by his teammates in celebration as Spain’s third effort flew over the crossbar.
His potential is clear for all to see, and the scary part is that he is nowhere near the finished article.
Is Trafford ready for the step up?
Burnley’s new boy kept 26 clean sheets in 52 appearances for Bolton Wanderers last season, conceding only 38 times as Ian Evatt’s side finished 5th in League One and lifted the Papa John’s Trophy; another competition in which Trafford did not concede a single goal.
This is a player who appears very capable of the step up to Premier League football. Should his performances continue in the same vein, his value will only soar whilst with the Clarets, and should one of English football’s big boys eventually attempt to lure him away from Turf Moor then you can guarantee that Burnley would be expecting to receive a much higher sum than what it will reportedly cost them to get him through the doors in the first place.
There is, of course, a risk with any transfer, but Kompany seems set to land himself a gem this summer.