Newcastle United find 'world-class' transfer target as he makes insane claim

James Trafford has been hailed as a 'world-class' goalkeeper by Burnley boss Scott Parker after the Newcastle United target helped the Clarets take another huge step towards automatic promotion. Trafford made a series of crucial interventions in Burnley's win at Watford, including a remarkable finger-tip save to prevent the hosts going 2-0 up in the first half, after Edo Kayembe unleashed a rocket from distance. Even Trafford described it as an 'insane' stop while Parker labelled it an 'assist' because Zian Flemming then went down the other end and equalised for the visitors at Vicarage Road.

Burnley later took the lead through Josh Brownhill and Trafford made further saves to deny Kayembe once again, after clawing away the midfielder's curling effort from inside the box, and, then, to keep out Ryan Andrews' venomous shot right at the death as the Clarets won 2-1 against nine-man Watford. It was another towering performance from the Championship player of the year nominee, who has put a difficult first campaign in the Premier League behind him. "There's no denying at the beginning of the season, the work we all had to do with Traff and where he was," Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire.



"There was a lot of work. He needed to engage in that. He needed to take a breath, take stock and decide where he wanted to be and, to be fair to him, I've seen someone mature.

There's no denying that he's a world-class keeper. "How you judge keepers is in big moments - even at the back end of the game. They're down to nine men.

He's barely had anything to do. The fella hits one from 30 yards and he has to pull off a save. Not sleeping.

Diligent. He's just a top 'keeper." Burnley have only conceded 14 goals in the Championship this season - fewer than any other club by a considerable distance - and Trafford has more than played his part in the Clarets becoming just the second side in the history of the second-tier to go 30 games unbeaten.

Burnley can seal an immediate return to the top-flight by beating Sheffield United at Turf Moor on Monday and, one way or the other, Trafford believes he will be playing in the Premier League next season as Newcastle continue to monitor the 'keeper's performances. Newcastle, of course, attempted to sign Trafford last summer and the England hopeful's displays certainly won't come as a surprise to the Magpies, who saw the bigger picture after the goalkeeper let in 61 goals in 28 top-flight fixtures last season and was dropped for the final games of the campaign. Trafford, after all, was just 21 at the time and playing for the Premier League's worst side in an era where most number ones tend to be several years older.

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