Burnley have secured the signing of Germany Under-20 goalkeeper Max Weiss from Karlsruher, while rumors swirl around James Trafford’s potential move to Newcastle United.
The Clarets, who narrowly missed out on the Championship title last season, have reportedly paid £4.3m for Weiss. The young shot-stopper featured in all 34 of Karlsruhe’s 2. Bundesliga matches in the 2024-25 campaign.
Weiss expressed his excitement about joining Burnley, stating, “I’m really excited to be here. It’s an amazing club with big ambitions. All the conversations I have had with people from here have been so good and very positive.”
At just 21 years old, Weiss is the first summer signing for Burnley as they prepare for their return to the Premier League. If Trafford does depart, Weiss could potentially take over the number one shirt.
Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing a £40m deal for Trafford, who impressed with 29 clean sheets in 45 Championship appearances last season. Trafford’s exceptional performance saw him equal an English Football League record for most clean sheets in a single season.
According to Opta’s expected goals on target (xGoT) model, Trafford ranked among the top Championship goalkeepers for preventing goals. With a save percentage of 84.5%, Trafford proved to be a key player for Burnley in the previous season.
Burnley will kick off their Premier League campaign against Tottenham Hotspur on August 16, followed by a home fixture against newly-promoted Sunderland the following week. Stay tuned for more updates as the new season approaches.
