James Trafford Completes Return ‘home’ To Manchester City In £27m Deal

James Trafford has returned “home” to Manchester City from Burnley successful a £27m woody aft 2 seasons astatine Turf Moor. The goalkeeper has signed a five-year woody astatine nan Etihad Stadium wherever he will conflict Ederson and Stefan Ortega to beryllium first choice.

It was anticipated that Trafford would move to Newcastle, who person been search him complete nan past 12 months. City, however, utilized their matching authorities clause, inserted erstwhile nan goalkeeper near nan nine successful 2023, to unafraid his services.

“Rejoining City is specified a typical and proud infinitesimal some for maine and my family,” Trafford said. “I ever dreamed that 1 time I would beryllium capable to travel backmost to Manchester City. This is nan spot I telephone location – it’s a genuinely typical shot nine pinch awesome group who make it specified a unsocial spot to activity and play. I americium besides very excited and honoured to person been fixed nan opportunity to activity nether Pep and pinch specified a world-class group of players. I americium still very young and quiet to support learning and improving – and I cognize location is nary amended situation than Manchester City to thief make maine go nan champion goalkeeper I tin be.”


The 22-year-old Cumbrian joined City aged 12 from Carlisle and went connected to person 8 years successful Manchester earlier joining Burnley successful 2023 for £14m. Prior to moving to Turf Moor, Trafford has impressed during indebtedness spells astatine Accrington and Bolton but ne'er made a first-team quality for City, though he did activity pinch nan first-team goalkeepers.

“When he [Ederson] first joined, he was highly talented,” Trafford said. “He is 1 of a benignant pinch nan shot astatine his feet. He was personification that I looked up to a batch erstwhile I first trained pinch him erstwhile I was 17. I tried to return mini bits of his crippled and effort to put them into my crippled and improve.”

Vincent Kompany made Trafford his first choice, giving him a first sensation of Premier League shot but was portion of a struggling broadside and was yet dropped successful favour of Arijanet Muric arsenic Burnley went down. Trafford recovered his shape and assurance past season, helping nan Clarets to nan apical flight, conceding 16 goals successful 45 appearances, keeping 29 cleanable sheets successful nan process.

Trafford was an integral personnel of nan England Under-21 squad that won nan European Championships successful 2023, saving a punishment successful nan final, has been named successful galore elder squads but is yet to make his afloat International debut.

Pep Guardiola has 4 elder goalkeepers astatine his disposal, having already acquired Marcus Bettinelli. Ederson has been nan taxable of liking from Galatasaray this summertime and galore enquires person been made successful narration to Ortega but thing actual has emerged. As pinch nan others, Trafford is comfortable pinch nan shot astatine his feet and has awesome distribution, capable to play short and agelong erstwhile required.