The Magpies have lodged bids for both players this week, but they have been rejected by Burnley and Nottingham Forest respectively.
Newcastle have also been holding discussions with Brighton over Joao Pedro, but are not yet thought to have made a formal offer for the Brazilian.
Their attempts to sign Trafford and Elanga are at a more advanced stage, but the St James’ Park hierarchy are now considering their next move as they attempt to make a transfer breakthrough ahead of the start of pre-season training on July 7.
While there is an acceptance that some negotiation will be required to seal a deal for either player, there is a strong determination not to be drawn into a protracted bidding war on either front.
Newcastle’s recruitment team have walked away from deals before when they feel have been quoted inflated asking prices – it was the Magpies who eventually called off last summer’s pursuit of Marc Guehi when Crystal Palace consistently refused to lower their demands – and have alternative targets at both goalkeeper and right-sided attack.
They will seek new talks with Burnley and Nottingham Forest before the end of the weekend, but senior club sources insist they are more than willing to turn elsewhere if they continue to hit a dead end.
While Newcastle’s PSR position has improved significantly from the last couple of summer windows, there is still an acceptance that the Magpies cannot afford to overpay for players. Throughout the Saudi PIF’s ownership, there has also been a strong determination to avoid being seen as ‘easy touches’ in the transfer market.
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Newcastle’s bid for Trafford is understood to have involved an up-front fee of around £20m, with the total package potentially being worth around £25m with add-ons. The Magpies feel that is a fair valuation of a 22-year-old who spent last season in the Championship, and are mindful of suggestions that Trafford wants to leave Turf Moor and move to Tyneside.
Burnley are reportedly holding out for at least £35m, but Newcastle are reluctant to go that high given that Trafford is not a senior international and struggled in his only previous season in the Premier League.
Ideally, the Magpies want to sign the England Under-21 international as a competitor for Nick Pope, who will have a decision to make over his own future if the Trafford deal goes through amid reported interest from Leeds United. John Ruddy, who has been offered a new deal on Tyneside despite not making a single senior appearance last season, is understood to be considering an alternative offer from his former club Norwich City.
Elanga has been Newcastle’s preferred right-sided target ever since they failed with an offer to sign him on deadline day last summer.
The Swede, who is an international team-mate of Magpies striker Alexander Isak, had a successful season in the Premier League last term, and the offer that Newcastle tabled earlier this week is understood to involve a total package worth around £45m.
Again, though, that was rejected at the City Ground, with Forest understood to value the 23-year-old at a minimum of £60m. Having rejected previous bids, Forest’s ownership group are determined to stand firm.
Newcastle’s owners are equally entrenched in their own position, which is that a £60m figure overvalues Elanga, who is contracted to Forest to 2028. A compromise is possible, although at this stage, it is far from clear who will blink first.
Newcastle’s discussions with Brighton over Pedro have been verbal to this stage, with the fate of talks over the Brazilian dependent, at least to some degree, on what happens with Elanga.
It is not a case of the Magpies only being willing to sign one of the two players – there is a scenario where, if the prices are right, they could recruit both, with Pedro being seen as more of a versatile attacker who could compete with Isak to play through the middle as well as being an option out wide – but Newcastle are working to a strict budget and need to know what they are committing to one deal before advancing with the other.
