Manchester City set to sign James Trafford from Burnley

Manchester City are closing in on goalkeeper James Trafford from Burnley, according to The Athletic.

Newcastle United were heavily linked with the England Under-21 international and had an opportunity to sign him at the end of May before the Club World Cup, when City weren’t considering a move.

However, a deal could not materialise, and now Pep Guardiola’s side are set to re-sign the 22-year-old, who is set to join Ederson and Stefan Ortega as goalkeepers at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City have matched a Newcastle offer of £27million with the player agreeing a five-year deal plus the option of a further 12 months.

Trafford left Man City in June 2023 to join Burnley, and in his first season at Turf Moor under former Burnley head coach Vincent Kompany, he conceded 62 times and lost his position in the starting XI for the final months of their Premier League days.

He was instrumental for the club under Scott Parker, conceding only 16 goals in 45 games to help The Clarets secure automatic promotion last season.

Burnley, however, missed out on the Championship title race by goal difference to Leeds United.

Trafford was named in Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad for the 2024 European Championship as one of four goalkeepers alongside Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson but was dropped before the tournament started.