Man City 'set to re-sign' James Trafford | OneFootball

Manchester City are poised to re-sign goalkeeper James Trafford from Burnley, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

Pep Guardiola's side have agreed a £27m deal with the 22-year-old England Under-21 international, matching an offer previously tabled by Newcastle United.

Trafford, who departed the Etihad Stadium in June 2023, is set to return on a five-year contract, with the option of a further year. His move comes as City reassess their goalkeeping department ahead of the new season, with Trafford expected to join Ederson and Stefan Ortega in Pep Guardiola’s ranks.

Newcastle’s interest in Trafford dates back some time, and they had a chance to sign the young keeper at the end of May—prior to the Club World Cup—when City were not actively pursuing a move. However, circumstances have since shifted, and City have now made their intentions clear by securing a deal to bring Trafford back into the fold.

Despite speculation linking Ederson with a move away, the Brazil international publicly dismissed reports of a possible departure last month as “fake news”, and he now appears likely to stay. Ortega, on the other hand, could still leave the club, although no move is imminent.

Trafford endured a challenging debut season at Turf Moor under then-manager Vincent Kompany—himself a former City captain—conceding 62 goals and losing his starting spot in the latter stages of Burnley's brief Premier League campaign. Nevertheless, his potential remained evident, and after Kompany’s departure, new manager Scott Parker reinstated Trafford as Burnley’s first-choice goalkeeper.

He responded in impressive fashion, conceding just 16 goals in 45 matches during the Championship campaign and playing a key role in Burnley’s automatic promotion back to the top flight. They narrowly missed out on the title to Leeds United on goal difference.

Despite not making the final cut for Gareth Southgate’s EURO 2024 squad, Trafford had been included in the provisional 33-man selection, highlighting his growing reputation on the national stage. His previous loan spells at Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers gave him valuable experience before making the step up to senior football.

With this move, Trafford returns to Manchester looking to further establish himself at the elite level and challenge for minutes under Guardiola in what is shaping up to be an intriguing battle for the gloves at the Etihad.

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