Burnley issue update on James Trafford as Manchester City transfer closes | OneFootball

Manchester City supporters have been handed further encouragement around the club’s signing of Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford this weekend.

The 22-year-old is on the verge of completing a return to the Etihad Stadium, with City having activated a ‘matching clause’ to sign the Englishman following a £27 million offer from Newcastle United.

Trafford, who departed Manchester City back in 2023 in search of regular first-team football, has remained high on the radar of Etihad decision-makers and is now set to rejoin Pep Guardiola’s squad ahead of the 2025/26 season.

City’s plan to bring Trafford back stems from growing uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Ederson and Stefan Ortega. With the former attracting interest from Galatasaray and the latter tracked by the likes of Leicester and Burnley, securing a long-term goalkeeper solution has become a top priority.

James Trafford is widely viewed within the club as a potential successor to Ederson and a candidate for the No.1 jersey in the near future. The former Bolton loanee has impressed with England’s Under-21 squad in recent years too and gaining valuable Premier League experience during a single season in the top-flight at Turf Moor to date.

Manchester City’s move to re-sign Trafford, while initially surprising to some around the game, has developed swiftly over the past fortnight and should see the highly-rated stopper become the Etihad’s fifth senior arrival of the summer market.

As Scott Parker’s first-team side are split into two over the course of Saturday afternoon, James Trafford has now been confirmed as absent from both of Burnley’s pre-season friendly fixtures against Huddersfield Town and Shrewsbury Town.

The omission of Trafford comes just hours before he is scheduled to undergo a medical with Manchester City. The 22-year-old is expected at the club’s training facilities early next week, with Monday understood to be the day earmarked for the main portion of testing.

Trafford will then sign a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, with the option of a sixth season also included, after City moved with precision to secure the goalkeeper having invoked their ‘matching clause’ within an hour of its expiration following Newcastle’s £27 million bid.

It has since been suggested that Trafford was ultimately convinced by the prospect of returning to Manchester City and continuing his development under Pep Guardiola, despite the lure of immediate first-team minutes elsewhere.

The move signals City’s intent to refresh the goalkeeping department with a long-term view in mind. While Trafford may not immediately take the starting role – particularly if Ederson remains for the final year of his contract – he is expected to be involved heavily in domestic cup competitions and could challenge for the No.1 spot before the 2026/27 season.

With Ortega’s future still unclear and interest in Ederson ongoing, Trafford’s arrival offers stability for Manchester City and a possible succession plan, while the next steps will likely include clarity on Ortega’s stance and whether he will push for a starting opportunity elsewhere.