Manchester City have confirmed the re-signing of goalkeeper James Trafford from Burnley in what is being described as a record-breaking transfer for a British goalkeeper.
While City sources value the move at £27 million plus add-ons, Burnley maintain the total figure stands at £31 million, with additional clauses and a sell-on percentage. If confirmed, the deal would eclipse the £30 million fee Everton paid Sunderland for Jordan Pickford in 2017.
The 22-year-old, a City academy graduate, originally left for Burnley in July 2023 in a deal worth up to £19 million. He quickly established himself as a standout performer, helping the Clarets secure promotion to the Premier League by keeping 29 clean sheets in 45 Championship matches and earning a spot in the Team of the Year.
Burnley said the move constitutes “a record transfer fee for a British goalkeeper and a club record sale”, following City’s decision to activate a buy-back clause after a £27 million bid from Newcastle.
Upon rejoining the Premier League champions, Trafford signed a five-year contract with an option for an additional year and will wear the number one shirt.
Reflecting on his return, Trafford said it was “such a special and proud moment” for both him and his family. “I always dreamed that one day I would be able to come back to Manchester City,” he said, adding that he was returning “a hundred times better” than when he left.
He continued, “This is the place I call home – it’s a truly special football club. I am still very young and hungry to keep learning and improving – and I know there is no better environment than Manchester City to help make me become the best goalkeeper I can be.”
City’s director of football, Hugo Viana, described Trafford as “already one of the most accomplished young goalkeepers in the English game,” and said the club fully believed he would become a top goalkeeper both for City and the national team.
Trafford will compete with Ederson, Stefan Ortega, and Marcus Bettinelli for the starting role at the Etihad. Ederson, who has been City’s number one for eight seasons, is in the final year of his contract and was recently linked with a move to Galatasaray, though he dismissed most of the speculation as “99% fake news”.
Trafford previously signed with City in 2015 but never featured in a senior match. He spent loan spells at Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers before making 73 appearances for Burnley, including 28 in the Premier League last season. He also played a crucial role in England’s 2023 Under-21 European Championship victory, keeping a clean sheet throughout the tournament.
He becomes City’s sixth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Sverre Nypan, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Bettinelli.
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