£40m star wants to speak to Newcastle about joining them

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has developed a hard-boiled attitude toward his first-team squad this summer, having plummeted from form over the past year.

Improvements are needed – and sharpish. The Magpies have lost their European status and they have now lost Anthony Gordon too, the England winger completing a £69m move to Barcelona.

The Toon have accepted the departure, banking a pretty penny for a forward who only scored six goals in the Premier League this year. Still, he’s one of the best in the business, taking on a focal role in the absence of Alexander Isak.

It’s not just the frontline that Howe needs to sort out this summer, though.

Newcastle ready to sign Premier League star

Newcastle need to sign wingers and perhaps a midfielder too. Just as importantly, they need to prevent an avalanche of exits, with Lewis Hall the latest player to attract interest from various suitors across England.

Hall, overlooked by Thomas Tuchel this summer, has “all the attributes to become one of the best left-backs in the world”, as noted by Newcastle teammate Kieran Trippier, and he proved that during a stunning Champions League display against Barcelona this year.

However, there are rumours he wants to leave amid interest from Chelsea and Manchester United. Newcastle want to keep onto the £70m-rated star, but they also need to strengthen across multiple positions, and an opportunity is emerging to sign the new Hall.

According to the Northern Echo, Newcastle have rekindled their interest in James Trafford, the England goalkeeper having endured a tough year on the borders at Manchester City.

The England international is keen to discuss a move with the St. James’ Park side, who he indeed rejected to sign for City.

City aren’t going to let him leave for cheap. He joined from Burnley for a record-breaking £31m figure, and sources suggest City will demand at least £40m for their back-up keeper.

Why Trafford can be Newcastle’s new Lewis Hall

Trafford, 23, was promised the world when leaving Burnley and signing for Man City one year ago. Instead, he got a small segment of City’s season, playing only four times in the Premier League after Pep Guardiola signed Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Trafford has not had the campaign he envisaged, but he played an instrumental part in completing a domestic double, winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

A first-class shot-stopper with confident distribution and stunning reflexes, he has what it takes to dovetail into Howe’s Newcastle set-up. There is a reason that he was coveted last year, after all.

At Burnley in the Championship, Trafford enjoyed an absurdly good season, winning the league and forming a core part of a redoubtable defensive system under Scott Parker’s wing.

Trafford joined Burnley from City, having graduated from their academy, and in that, Hall and him might find themselves in the same boat, with Trafford’ Three Lions peer sold by Chelsea before he had a chance to establish himself as a first-team regular.

While the Magpies would have to authorise a hefty outlay this summer, should Trafford be signed, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Hall needs to leave for that to happen.

The two could form a steely defensive partnership. Trafford, described as “world-class” by Parker, is surely worth the hassle, and he could repeat a trick from Hall by making the leap of faith.

Hall is one of the best left-backs in the Premier League, yet he has been overlooked many times in his career. Trafford knows something of how that feels, and if he joins the Tynesiders this summer, he can finally put his name on a map.

Perhaps Hall should consider that when weighing up his options.