James Trafford Returns to Man City in £27m Deal

Manchester City have re-signed 22-year-old goalkeeper James Trafford from Burnley for £27 million. Originally sold for £14 million in 2023, City exercised a contract clause to match Newcastle’s bid. Trafford signed a five-year deal and became City’s sixth summer signing. He will compete with Ederson, with Stefan Ortega expected to depart.

Coming to the Etihad in a £27 million deal, James Trafford has officially rejoined Manchester City from Burnley, becoming their sixth summer signing. The 22-year-old goalkeeper, who left City in 2023 for £14 million, returns after the club triggered a matching clause in his contract. Due to a sell-on clause, the total cost to City was reduced from an initial £31 million to £27 million, effectively costing them £13 million.

Trafford, who spent time on loan at Accrington and Bolton before establishing himself at Burnley, has signed a five-year contract with the option for an additional year. He is expected to compete with Ederson for the No. 1 shirt, while Stefan Ortega is likely to leave, though no deal has been finalised. City's sporting director Hugo Viana praised Trafford as one of England’s top young goalkeepers, confident he’ll thrive under Pep Guardiola.

Trafford himself called the return a “dream come true,” expressing pride in coming back to a club he considers home. He joins a strong lineup of new arrivals including Tijjani Reijnders (£46.3m), Rayan Ait-Nouri (£36.3m), Rayan Cherki (£34m), Sverre Nypan (£12.5m), and Marcus Bettinelli (undisclosed) as City prepare for the 2025/26 campaign.