Manchester City have officially re-signed goalkeeper James Trafford from Burnley in a deal worth £27 million, marking his return to the Etihad just two years after departing the club.
The 22-year-old, who initially joined Burnley in 2023 for £14 million, has now signed a long-term five-year contract with the Premier League champions, with an option to extend for a further year. The deal represents a £13 million net cost to City and further strengthens their goalkeeping options ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Trafford is expected to compete with current first-team goalkeepers Ederson and Stefan Ortega, although reports suggest Ortega may be nearing an exit, with no agreement yet in place.
Expressing his excitement about the move, Trafford said: “Rejoining City is such a special and proud moment both for me and my family. I always dreamed that one day I would be able to come back to Manchester City. This is the place I call home, it’s a truly special football club with fantastic people.”
He added, “I’m honoured to work under Pep Guardiola and with such a world-class squad. I’m still very young and hungry to keep improving, and there’s no better place to grow than here.”
Trafford will don the number one shirt and becomes Manchester City’s sixth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Rayan Aït-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, Marcus Bettinelli, Rayan Cherki, and Sverre Nypan.
His return is seen as both a strategic and emotional investment for the club, as City look to build on their domestic and European success with a younger and more competitive squad heading into the new season.
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