Manchester City have dived head first into the transfer market by bringing James Trafford back to the Etihad, smashing the transfer record for British goalkeepers in the process.
The deal sealing the 22-year-old’s return from Burnley is worth £31million, according to Clarets sources, beating the previous £30m benchmark set when Everton nabbed England number one, Jordan Pickford seven years ago from Sunderland.
What makes this deal sweeter is City’s clever contract work when Trafford initially left. They’d inserted both buy-back and matching rights clauses.
When Newcastle came calling with £27m, City simply activated their option and watched their former academy star choose the Etihad over St James’ Park.
“Rejoining City is such a special and proud moment,” Trafford admitted. “I always dreamed I’d come back to Manchester City. This is home.”
The journey hasn’t been straightforward. After joining City’s academy in 2015, Trafford never made a first-team appearance, cutting his teeth on loans at Accrington Stanley and Bolton.
But last season proved his making. Under Scott Parker at Burnley, Trafford recorded 29 clean sheets in 45 Championship games as the Clarets stormed back to the Premier League.
Now Guardiola has four keepers – Ederson, Stefan Ortega, Marcus Bettinelli and Trafford raising fascinating questions about the current number one, Ederson’s, future.
Ederson’s in his final contract year and linked with Galatasaray, though he recently called departure rumours “99% fake news.” Still, Trafford’s arrival suggests City are planning for life beyond their long-serving number one.
Director of football Hugo Viana couldn’t hide his excitement: “James is already one of the most accomplished young goalkeepers in English football. He has all the attributes required and we believe he’ll be really successful for City and England.”
The kid who left Manchester as an unknown is returning as one of the most expensive goalkeepers in history. If his Championship heroics are anything to go by, Trafford’s ready for the challenge.