Manchester City are poised to bring back goalkeeper James Trafford from Burnley in a £27 million deal, just two years after he left the club for the Clarets.
The 22-year-old, a graduate of City’s academy, moved to Burnley in July 2023 in a transfer reportedly worth up to £19 million with performance-based add-ons.
Trafford impressed during Burnley’s Championship-winning campaign last season, securing 29 clean sheets in 45 matches and earning a place in the league’s Team of the Year.
Although Manchester City had a buy-back clause in place, they opted to match a £27 million offer made by Newcastle United rather than trigger the clause directly, as reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic.
He will join Pep Guardiola’s senior goalkeeping group alongside Ederson, Stefan Ortega, and Marcus Bettinelli. Trafford is anticipated to challenge Ederson, who has been City’s first-choice keeper for the past eight seasons.
With Ederson’s contract entering its final year and rumors of interest from Turkish side Galatasaray, City may be preparing for a future transition. Ortega’s status also remains unclear.
Having joined City’s youth setup in 2015, Trafford never made a senior appearance for the club, though he gained experience on loan at Accrington Stanley and Bolton before shining at Burnley.
Trafford is expected to sign a five-year deal with an additional one-year extension option.
