West Ham have golden opportunity to sign James Trafford after what he has said at Man City
James Trafford has been linked with a move to West Ham in the past.
Staying in the Premier League is going to be the number one goal for West Ham and for Nuno Espirito Santo, but with 12 games to go, time is running out.
The Hammers are two points adrift of safety, and certainly need Forest and Tottenham to continue their struggles if they are to avoid the drop.
However, once their Premier League status is confirmed, there is plenty of work to be done on the recruitment side in the summer.
And one of the top priorities is to sign a new goalkeeper.
What has James Trafford said about his future?
Trafford was one of the big reasons behind Burnley’s promotion back to the Premier League, having kept a remarkable 29 clean sheets.
That quality didn’t go unnoticed, with Man City opting to trigger their buy-back clause, only to then go and sign Gianluigi Donnarumma not long after.
As a result, the Englishman has become the third choice at his boyhood club once again, but was handed a start in their FA Cup clash with Salford, where he then spoke out with a sense of frustration about his situation at the club.
“I didn’t expect the situation to happen, but it happened, so just get on with it,” he said.
“Work very hard every day and then see what happens, give it my best shot.
“I don’t know what happens next season. I just know that I’ll just take it a day at a time and try to improve.”
That uncertainty over his future is what should entice West Ham, who desperately need to sign a goalkeeper in the summer window.
What would this mean for Mads Hermansen?
Alphonse Areola has taken the number one shirt off Mads Hermansen since his arrival from Leicester, and based on his early-season performance, it was warranted.
However, both of them have shown signs of weakness, with Areola’s distribution a big issue in his game, while Hermansen has been prone to a clanger.
Areola’s contract expires in the summer of 2027, meaning this summer would be the last chance West Ham have to cash in on him.
If they were to do that, it would almost force Hermansen to stay at the London Stadium and play second fiddle to Trafford if he were to arrive.
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