James Trafford reveals Manchester City ambitions amid growing transfer interest | OneFootball

Manchester City’s interest in bringing James Trafford back to the club seem to align with the goalkeeper’s own beliefs regarding his Etihad Stadium hopes of the past.

Trafford departed City in 2023 in pursuit of regular Premier League football, joining Burnley in a deal worth up to £19 million. But just two years on, a return to the Etihad is under serious consideration as the club assesses potential changes in their goalkeeping department.

As things stand, City are only expected to act on Trafford if one of their two senior goalkeepers departs. Ederson remains the subject of interest from Galatasaray, while Stefan Ortega is open to becoming a No. 1 elsewhere should the opportunity arise.

As a direct result of those considerations, James Trafford is now being seriously considered in both scenarios, with club officials holding talks in recent weeks over what a return could look like.

Importantly, City retain a £40 million buy-back clause on Trafford, but that is understood to be a ceiling figure rather than a fixed fee, with the Premier League giants keen to negotiate a lower price with Burnley.

City also maintain the right to match any offer accepted by the Clarets. Should another suitor – like Newcastle United – meet Burnley’s valuation, Trafford’s preference is still believed to be a return to the Etihad, where he spent much of his development pathway.

Speaking during a recent appearance on The Ben Foster Podcast, James Trafford opened up on the manner of his Manchester City exit back in 2023, when he brought an end to his association with the Etihad Stadium by joining Burnley in a deal worth up to £19 million.

“I wanted to go, and when the opportunity came to play in the Premier League and go to Burnley, I was like, ‘Yeah, I want to do that’, because I was away at the Euros at the time, and I’d known about Burnley for a long time before and it was more or less done before the Euros,” Trafford revealed.

He continued, “And I remember speaking to the goalie coach [at Manchester City] and he was like, ‘We’ve obviously got interest, we’ve accepted the bid, do you want to go?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I want to go in the Premier League’.”

However, James Trafford went on to admit, “I said I wanted to play for Man City, and who doesn’t want to be Man City’s number 1, I believed I could be, but obviously at this moment in time, I’m not going to say that I want to be XY and Z because and he’s obviously proved myself I need to get better.

“And I think this is the best for me. And he was like, yeah, I agree, this is the best thing for you. So it was quite simple in that way, just me and the goalie coach speaking like that… And my heart was set on it, and they’re not daft in how they did the deal, but like they knew I wanted to go and they knew it was really good for us.”

Looking to his future ambitions within the game amid strong speculation concerning a return to Manchester City this summer, Trafford admitted, “That’s where I’ve always been aiming for, the top of the Prem. Everyone wants to go there and everyone wants to play there.

“And then you to get there, you have to play games and prove and get into a level where when you do go back to wherever I end up, whenever, then I’m ready for it and I’m the best equipped and ready to perform.”

As it stands, City are closely monitoring the situation but remain patient in their approach. While no formal bid has been submitted, the club are prepared to act quickly if Ederson or Ortega depart in the coming weeks.

From a strategic standpoint, bringing Trafford back would allow City to secure a long-term option in goal – a player well-versed in the club’s system and expectations, and someone who fits within the homegrown quota.

At just 22 years of age, he still has significant scope for development and would be well-placed to grow under Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff. With pre-season underway next week and transfer activity heating up across the Premier League, all eyes will remain on City’s next move.

Should Burnley begin formal discussions with another club, the decision could come to a head quickly, and the opportunity for Trafford to realise his Manchester City ambition may arrive sooner than expected.