James Trafford has returned to Manchester City from Burnley in a £27 million deal, signing a five-year contract with an option for a sixth year. The 22-year-old goalkeeper will compete with Ederson and Stefan Ortega for the starting position at the Etihad.
Initially expected to join Newcastle, who had tracked him for the past year, Trafford’s move back to City was secured through a matching rights clause included in his 2023 transfer to Burnley.
“Coming back to City is a special and proud moment for me and my family,” Trafford said. “This club has always felt like home—it’s a unique place with incredible people. I’m excited to work under Pep Guardiola and alongside world-class players. I’m still young and eager to improve, and there’s no better environment than City to help me reach my full potential.”
Trafford joined City’s academy at 12 from Carlisle United and spent eight years there before moving to Burnley for £14 million. Though he never made a senior appearance for City, he gained experience on loan at Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers and trained with the first-team goalkeepers.
“Ederson was someone I looked up to when I first trained with him at 17,” Trafford said. “His ability with the ball is unmatched, and I’ve tried to learn from him.”
At Burnley, manager Vincent Kompany made him first-choice, giving him his Premier League debut. However, after a difficult season, he was replaced by Arijanet Muric as Burnley were relegated. Trafford regained form last season, keeping 29 clean sheets in 45 appearances to help the club earn promotion.
He was a key player in England’s Under-21 European Championship-winning squad in 2023, saving a penalty in the final, and has been called up to the senior national team but is yet to make his debut.
Pep Guardiola now has four senior goalkeepers, including new signing Marcus Bettinelli. Ederson has drawn interest from Galatasaray, while Ortega has also been the subject of inquiries, though no concrete offers have materialized.
