Revealed: How much Manchester City will pay for James Trafford after full agreement with Burnley | OneFootball

Manchester City have reached a full agreement to sign James Trafford from Burnley to strengthen their goalkeeping options ahead of the 2025-26 season, as per several reports.

A product of the City Football Academy, Trafford left his boyhood club to join forces with Blues legend Vincent Kompany at Turf Moor in 2023, having gained significant first-team experience in the Premier League and EFL Championship during his time at Burnley.

City added Marcus Bettinelli to their goalkeeping department earlier this summer as Scott Carson was released at the end of his contract, with newly-appointed director of football Hugo Viana orchestrating a major squad revamp after a sub-standard 2024-25 campaign for Pep Guardiola and co.

Manchester City have also secured the arrival(s) of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki – all of whom have made quite the early impression in their first set of appearances at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where City fell short at the Round of 16 stage and crashed out after a 4-3 defeat to Al-Hilal.

City have parted ways with Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Carson this summer, marking a crossroads transfer window for the 2023 treble winners, who succumbed to their worst finish in the Premier League under Guardiola last term – with 71 points.

Viana has wasted no time to settle in and is expected to sanction further departures in the first-team squad as the Manchester City board deliberate on the future(s) of Ilkay Gundogan, Nico Gonzalez John Stones and Ederson – all of whom have been linked with transfers.

James McAtee is set to seal a permanent move away in the coming weeks, with Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish also looking for new clubs having been deemed surplus to requirements. City are also believed to be keen on signing a new right-back.

Negotiations have been difficult, to say the least, with Newcastle for Valentino Livramento but Manchester City have found their next breakthrough in the transfer window after reaching a full agreement to seal the return of James Trafford – two years after the 22-year-old left City to join Burnley.

David Ornstein of The Athletic has revealed that Manchester City have committed to matching Newcastle’s £27 million offer for Trafford, who has chosen a return to the Etihad Stadium despite interest from Eddie Howe in Tyneside.

When negotiating a sale for Trafford with Burnley two years ago, City inserted a £40 million buy-back clause for the England U-21 international – standard procedure for the club when cashing in on their most talented academy prospects.

Trafford have given his go-ahead to sign a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, with the option of an additional 12 months, as Manchester City progress what has been an eye-catching squad rebuild ahead of the new campaign.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has added that Trafford will begin his Manchester City medical on Monday, when Guardiola’s squad will report to begin pre-season preparations for the 2025-26 campaign following a three-week break after their exit from the Club World Cup.