Man City set to re-sign Trafford for £27m

James Trafford made 73 appearances for Burnley after signing in July 2023

Goalkeeper James Trafford has rejoined Manchester City from Burnley in a deal which the Clarets say is a new record fee for a British goalkeeper.

City sources say the move is worth £27m plus add-ons.

However, Burnley sources put the figure at £31m plus add-ons and a sell-on clause.

That would take the deal above the previous record of £30m which Everton paid Sunderland for Jordan Pickford in 2017.

City academy graduate Trafford, 22, signed for the Clarets for up to £19m in July 2023.

He impressed last season as Scott Parkers side won promotion back to the Premier League - keeping 29 clean sheets across 45 Championship games - and was named in the divisions team of the year.

Announcing his departure, Burnley said "the move to City is a record transfer fee for a British goalkeeper and a club record sale".

City had a buy-back clause for Trafford and also matching rights, allowing them to equal any offer from another club.

They moved for the player following a £27m bid from Newcastle - and Trafford opted for a return to Manchester.

He has signed a five-year contract with the option for another year at Etihad Stadium, and will wear the number one shirt.

"Rejoining City is such a special and proud moment both for me and my family," Trafford said, adding that he was returning to the club "a hundred times better" than the player who left in 2023.

"I always dreamed that one day I would be able to come back to Manchester City.

"This is the place I call home - its a truly special football club.

"I am still very young and hungry to keep learning and improving - and I know there is no better environment than Manchester City to help make me become the best goalkeeper I can be."

Director of football Hugo Viana added: "James is already one of the most accomplished young goalkeepers in the English game, and we are delighted to welcome him back to Manchester City.

"He has all the attributes a top-class goalkeeper requires.

"We fully believe he will be really successful and a top goalkeeper for Manchester City and the [England] national team."

Trafford is the fourth goalkeeper at manager Pep Guardiolas disposal, with Ederson, Stefan Ortega and Marcus Bettinelli already at the club.

Trafford will challenge Brazils Ederson, who has been first choice for eight years, for the number one spot.

Ederson is in the final year of his contract and has been linked with a move to Galatasaray, but last month described rumours of a departure as "99% fake news".

City have not received any bids for the 31-year-old, but there are doubts about the future of German Ortega given the increased competition for game time Traffords arrival will bring.

Trafford signed for Citys academy in 2015 but did not make a first-team appearance and spent time on loan at Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers.

He made 73 appearances for Burnley, including 28 in the Premier League in the 2023-24 season.

Trafford has represented England from under-17 to under-21 level, and was part of the winning European Championship squad of 2023, during which he did not concede a goal.

He received his first senior international call-up in 2024 but has yet to make his debut at that level.

Trafford is Citys sixth signing of the window after midfielders Tijjani Reijnders (initial fee of £46.5m), Rayan Cherki (initial fee of £30.5m) and Sverre Nypan (£12.5m); left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri (£31m) and Bettinelli (nominal fee).

They also spent £200m in the January transfer window to boost their squad following significant injuries.

Manchester City insert buy-back clauses when they sell players, yet tend not to activate them when those academy products move on.

But this is an example of why they put them in the deals, as it has proven helpful in the ability to buy back a talented player on this occasion.

Having served an impressive apprenticeship at Turf Moor, City believe they can develop him into a top goalkeeper - one who is already ready for the Premier League.

However, the club now have the dilemma of moving on either Ederson, who is entering the final year of his contract, or Ortega, who has now slipped a place down the pecking order.

Trafford conceded just 16 league goals with Burnley last term and kept a Championship-best 29 clean sheets, equalling Port Vales Football League record which was set 71 years ago.

He also set a new Championship record of 12 consecutive shutouts between December and February before he was finally beaten in a 2-1 victory at Cardiff City at the start of March.

But despite his stellar performances in the second tier last season, Trafford lacks a degree of top-flight experience and only 28 of his 153 senior appearances have been in the Premier League.

Traffords shot-stopping is undoubtedly first rate and his save percentage stands at almost 85% last season.

That figure far exceeds the numbers posted by both Ederson and Stefan Ortega, although Trafford was largely facing inferior opposition at Championship level.

But he will have to develop his distribution if he is to fit into Guardiolas side and system as his pass completion of 70% is comfortably lower than that of Manchester Citys current goalkeepers.

That is partly because Burnley opted to go long more often - averaging 55 long passes per game compared to Citys 36 - and partly because Ederson and Ortega are more proficient at playing out from the back.