Manchester City’s goalkeeper succession planning has pivoted toward re-signing academy graduate James Trafford via the €46 million (£40m) buy‑back clause written into his 2023 sale to Burnley, with club attention shifting away from a move for Porto’s Diogo Costa for the time being.
City’s stance is closely tied to potential departures in the current goalkeeper group. A new signing is not expected unless one of Ederson or Stefan Ortega leaves, and internal discussions have modelled scenarios around that contingency.
Ederson is into the final year of his contract and has been aware of interest from Galatasaray, though City have not yet received a formal bid. The Brazilian has publicly voiced a desire to stay, yet the door remains ajar should negotiations advance later in the window.
Ortega’s situation also bears watching. He logged increased minutes last season covering for Ederson and wants clarity on his path to regular starts. Burnley are among clubs monitoring him should Trafford head back to the Etihad, adding another variable to City’s decision tree.
Trafford, 22, spent years in City’s system before moving to Burnley in 2023 with that buy‑back safety net. His distribution range, comfort high off his line, and homegrown status make him an attractive medium‑term fit for Pep Guardiola’s possession model as the club contemplates post‑Ederson planning.
Performance data from reports has burnished Trafford’s case: accounts of Burnley’s promotion campaign cite a remarkable run including 29 clean sheets and only 16 goals conceded across league play (figures vary by outlet and may aggregate competitions, but the broader takeaway is of elite shot prevention and organisation).
Talks between City and Burnley centre on whether the full clause must be paid or can be re‑worked; Trafford is understood to be open to returning if a pathway to meaningful minutes is clear. With market moves around Ederson and Ortega still unresolved, expect this to be a rolling story deep into the window.
