Manchester City have met with Burnley to discuss a summer move for goalkeeper James Trafford, it has emerged.
City are in the second transfer window of what has been an expensive squad rebuild, with Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Sverre Nypan and Marcus Bettinelli all putting pen to paper at the Etihad Stadium this summer.
While the focus is on new signings, City are also exploring plenty of sales and goalkeeper duo Ederson and Stefan Ortega have both been linked with moves away.
If City do lose either stopper, Fabrizio Romano states they will pursue a move for Trafford, who came through the City youth academy but has dazzled since joining Burnley in the summer of 2023.
Trafford never made a senior appearance for City but went unused on the bench in the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup in 2020–21, before he embarked on a series of loans which helped him earn a call-up to the senior England squad in 2024.
Having shone in the Championship with Burnley last season, Trafford is a concrete target for Newcastle United, but the existence of City’s buy-back clause has so far prevented a move from being completed.
City have the option to re-sign Trafford for £40 million ($53.7 million) but are looking to negotiate a discount on that fee.
Burnley are thought to be demanding a similar fee to sell Trafford. The 22-year-old remains under contract until the summer of 2027.
On top of a buy-back clause, City are also believed to be entitled to 20% of the fee if Burnley do sell their star stopper this summer.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man City ‘Hold Talks’ to Hijack Newcastle’s Move for Former Academy Star.
