Spurs target £20m goalkeeper in January as Postecoglou receives approval

Following Fraser Forster’s costly errors in Tottenham’s 4-3 Carabao Cup victory over Manchester United, manager Ange Postecoglou has reportedly been given the go-ahead to pursue a £20 million goalkeeper signing in January.

According to reports, Tottenham are eyeing Burnley’s James Trafford as a potential upgrade over Forster in the backup goalkeeper role. The 22-year-old England youth international is valued at around £20 million by Burnley.

Trafford stayed with Burnley despite transfer speculation last summer, but could now be rewarded with a move to North London in January. His skills with the ball at his feet make him well-suited to Postecoglou’s playing style and he could provide an immediate improvement over Forster as the number two behind Guglielmo Vicario.

At just 22 years old, Trafford also has potential to develop into Tottenham’s future first-choice goalkeeper. His former coach Matt Gilks praised Trafford’s “athletic profile, power, reflexes” and said he is one of the most impressive young goalkeepers he has worked with.

Statistics show Trafford has maintained a similar save percentage to Forster this season while attempting significantly more passes per 90 minutes. His distribution skills could be crucial for Postecoglou’s possession-based tactics.

While Vicario remains the undisputed number one, Trafford would likely get opportunities to impress if signed and could prove to be an astute long-term investment for Tottenham.