Approach made: Newcastle now in contact to sign "incredible" £8m+ colossus

Newcastle United have now made contact over the signing of an “incredible” player, who could be set to leave his club for a very low fee in the summer, according to a report.

Magpies set sights on new goalkeeper

Nick Pope has struggled with injuries at times during the current season, and with the Englishman now arguably in the latter stages of his career at 33-years-old, Newcastle are looking at bringing in a new goalkeeper at the end of the campaign.

One of the most exciting targets on the shortlist is Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, fresh off the back of a fantastic season with the Clarets in the Championship, shipping a total of just 16 league goals across the entire season.

Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel is another option for the Magpies, having made contact over a deal for the shot-stopper back in April, while they have expressed a strong interest in signing Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale, who has impressed Eddie Howe in the past.

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According to reports from France (via Sport Witness), Newcastle also have their eye on a goalkeeper who has impressed in Ligue 1 this season, namely Angers’ Yahia Fofana, having now made contact over a deal for the Ivorian.

With his contract set to expire in 2026, Fofana could be in line to leave Angers this summer, and there is a feeling he could be available on the cheap, with an €8m – €10m (£6.8m – £8.4m) transfer fee being touted.

There could be fierce competition for the Paris-born shot-stopper’s signature, however, who came through the same Le Havre academy that produced talents such as Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet. Torino and Southampton also in the picture, but a move to St. James’ Park would be preferred over St. Mary’s, given the Saints’ impending relegation from the Premier League.

“Incredible” Fofana impressing in Ligue 1

Angers are among the middle of the pack in Ligue 1, but they could be a lot lower in the table if not for the performances of their goalkeeper, who is ranked as their best-performing player this season, achieving an average WhoScored league match rating of 6.88.

The Ivory Coast international has stood out for quite some time, having previously been lauded as “incredible” by scout Antonio Mango, who also added: “His agility, reactions and positioning is outstanding. Whilst being institutive with his distributions.”

Fellow scout Ben Mattinson has also stated the 6-foot-4 colossus “claims crosses well”, while praising him for his range of passing, indicating that he could be a fantastic modern-day goalkeeper.

With Fofana set to be available for a fee as low as £6.8m this summer, he could be a bargain signing for Newcastle, but Trafford should remain their number one target to replace Pope long-term, having matched the EFL record of 29 clean sheets last season.