England manager Gareth Southgate 'keeping tabs on Burnley's James Trafford'

By Carter White | 29 September 2023

England manager Southgate 'keeping tabs on Burnley's James Trafford'

England manager Gareth Southgate is reportedly keeping tabs on Burnley's James Trafford ahead of next year's European Championships in Germany.

England manager Gareth Southgate is reportedly prepared to consider Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford for a place in the Three Lions' European Championship squad next summer.

The 20-year-old is playing his first season in the Premier League at Turf Moor this term, securing a permanent switch to the newly-promoted side from Manchester City in July.

Trafford enjoyed a successful spell on loan in League One at Bolton Wanderers last season, keeping a division-high total of 22 clean sheets in 45 third-tier appearances.

The keeper also managed to win the Under-21s Euros with the Young Lions in June of this year, going throughout the entire six-game tournament without conceding a goal for Lee Carsley's men.

According to the Daily Mail, England boss Southgate is keeping tabs on the progress of Trafford as he continues to settle into life at Burnley in the top flight.

James Trafford pictured on March 25, 2023 © Reuters

The report claims that the Three Lions manager is considering the 20-year-old for selection in future squads, with Euro 2024 in Germany less than a year away now.

Trafford has not managed to keep a clean sheet in the top flight so far with Vincent Kompany's side, as the Clarets have struggled to adapt to life back at this level.

The Turf Moor club have collected just one point from their opening five Premier League matches, conceding 13 goals in the process, with only Sheffield United letting in more so far.

Despite this, it is believed that Trafford could be in line for a senior England call-up due to the various situations surrounding the country's more senior options in between the sticks.

Southgate's second-choice stopper Aaron Ramsdale seems to have lost his nailed-on spot in Arsenal's starting XI after the arrival of Spaniard David Raya from Brentford in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale and Takehiro Tomiyasu react on September 27, 2023 © Reuters

The four-time international played in the Gunners' 1-0 win against Thomas Frank's Bees in the third round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, however the 25-year-old was restricted to a watching brief during the North Londoners' home clashes with PSV Eindhoven and Tottenham Hotspur.

Dean Henderson is another goalkeeper who potentially has a place on the plane headed to Germany next year, although the Crystal Palace man is set for a spell on the sidelines due to injury.

The former Manchester United youngster was handed his Eagles debut by Roy Hodgson during their 3-0 loss at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup, however the stopper was forced off after just 19 minutes because of a leg issue.

Trafford and Burnley will be looking to keep their first clean sheet of the Premier League season when they travel to face an in-form Newcastle United side at St James' Park on Saturday afternoon.