Tottenham are weighing up a £20million move for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford next month.
Ange Postecoglou has been given the green light to sign a keeper from the EFL - with England back-up Trafford emerging as a target.
Spurs need cover following Guglielmo Vicario’s long-term injury with veteran Fraser Forster acting as temporary No 1 in the Italian’s absence following ankle surgery. And Trafford, 22, is seen as a keeper who has growth and who could push Vicario at White Hart Lane in the coming seasons. He is currently ahead of Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson and Sheffield Wednesday rookie Pierce Charles on Spurs’ wish-list.
Spurs will hope to have more luck with the Championship club after Newcastle failed to reach an agreement over a similar deal for Trafford in the summer.
Trafford has played his part in Burnley’s promotion push, forming a key cog in the Scott Parker’s men boasting the meanest defence in the second-tier. He's made just shy of 50 appearances from the Clarets since joining them from Manchester City last summer.
Veteran keeper Fraser Forster has deputised for Vicario since Spurs' No.1 underwent ankle surgery - but the 36-year-old endured a horrid night in the 4-3 win over Manchester United on Thursday.
He dropped two huge clangers against the Red Devils to give them hope of advancing to the Carabao Cup semi-finals, only for his team-mates to spare his blushes. Forster will continue in between the posts when league leaders Liverpool visit north London this week, though, with Postecoglou defending him post-match.
The Spurs boss said: “He’s disappointed as well, because he was outstanding for us. He didn’t have a lot to do before then. And even the first half, I thought he was really good with his feet.
“The first one probably affected his confidence a little bit. He lost a bit of belief, and that second one just compounded it. But he’s a big boy and is another one that’s stood up for us big-time in this period. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”