The Premier League newcomers have spent more than £4m on promising young German keeper Max Weiss, who has joined the Clarets from Karlsuher.
The German youth international played every minute in Karlsruher’s Bundesliga.2 campaign last season and caught the eye of Burnley’s recruitment and coaching team, with the Clarets swooping early to conclude a deal.
Weiss said: “I’m really excited to be here. It’s an amazing club with a big ambition and all the conversations I have had with people from here have been so good and very positive.
“The training ground facility looks amazing, the pitches are so nice and I can’t wait to get in for pre-season and meet the rest of the team.”
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Burnley were always braced for fresh interest in Trafford this summer, despite winning promotion back to the Premier League.
Newcastle were close to landing the 22-year-old last summer but had to change their plans as they fought to ensure they didn’t fall foul of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
Odysseas Vlachodimos ended up joining from Nottingham Forest.
But strengthening between the posts is again a priority for the Magpies this summer and Trafford remains Eddie Howe’s top target, as he was 12 months ago.
Burnley will now demand more than they were asking for last summer, however, and are understood to value their goalkeeper at around the £35m mark.
Trafford only enhanced his reputation with a quite stunning season in the Championship last term, keeping 29 clean sheets as he helped Burnley bounce back from relegation at the first time of asking.
Trafford is keen on the Newcastle move.
Reflecting on last summer’s failed switch, he told told Ben Foster’s ‘Fozcast’ podcast recently: “The club that I was close to going, it was a good fit for me. It was brilliant for me and I really believed in it.
“I wanted to move, not just because I didn’t want to play in the Championship, I had no shame playing in the Championship. I have no ego to think I’m better than the Championship. You only prove something by performing and showing people. You can say whatever you want but unless you perform.
“It was just when an opportunity and a situation you think suits you can happen, you should take it and you should try and go for it, so I wanted to move. It was close but it didn’t end up happening.”
In an ideal world, Howe wants Trafford and Nick Pope to compete for the gloves at St James’ Park, though Leeds United are said to be interested in Newcastle’s current No.1 and keeping close tabs on his situation.
Meanwhile, Newcastle continue to weigh up their next move after having a £45m bid for Anthony Elanga rejected by Nottingham Forest.
Elanga, like Trafford, is a long-term target, and signing a right-winger is another leading priority on Tyneside this summer.
Nottingham Forest are understood to value Elanga at £60m.
