Article by Daniel Grigore – published Tuesday, July 29, 2025 22:16 / Updated Tuesday, July 29, 2025 22:16
Manchester City has announced the transfer of goalkeeper James Trafford, 22 years old. It is actually a return, because Trafford was part of the “Citizens” Academy between 2015 and 2023, when he was sold in Burnley.
In 2023, Burnley paid 17.3 million euros to bring Trafford from Manchester City. Now, the newly promoted in the Premier League was sent back for 31.2 million. Burnley ones say the amount can amount to 36 million euros with bonuses, which would turn Trafford into the most expensive English goalkeeper in history.
Trafford comes after an exceptional season in Championship: received only 16 goals in 45 matcheshelping Burnley to return to the elite of England.
Manchester City announced the transfer of James Trafford
Manchester City also has Portari on Ederson and Stefan Ortega. The expectations are for the latter to leave until the end of this mercato. There was an interest for Ederson, but the transfer to Galatasaray has not been materialized, and the expectations today are for the Brazilian to remain on Etihad.
The team of Pep Guardiola is transferred this summer to Tijjani Reijnders (55 million euros), Rayan Ait-nouri (36,8), Rayan Cherki (36.5), Sverre Nypan (15) and Marcus Bettinelli, and the last goalkeeper, necessary to comply with the rules with raised internal players.
James Trafford: “Now I'm 100 times better”
“It's a brilliant transfer to me. Playing for Man City has been one of my goals since I got to this club, when I was 12. I knew that my path would look different and along it I always thought I would come back [la City]. When I left, I thought one day I would come back and worked to achieve it.
Now I am much more experienced, they are 100 times better, I have improved in all aspects of me as a person and as a player“, Trafford said on the occasion of the presentation.
They beat Newcastle to Transfer
In the footsteps of James Trafford was Newcastle. Eddie Howe's team made the first offer, but a clause in the contract where City sold Trafford at Burnley allowed them to equalize the amount proposed by Newcastle and to leave their rival without the desired player.
