Trafford on verge of re-signing for Man City - The incredible records he broke in the Championship

25.07.2025 - 13:01 | source: Transfermarkt | Reading Time: 3 mins

€22m market value

Trafford on verge of re-signing for Man City - The incredible records he broke in the Championship

©IMAGO

Just two years after departing the Etihad in pursuit of regular first-team football, James Trafford is on the verge of a surprise return to Manchester City this summer. The England U21 standout, who left for Burnley in the summer of 2023, is now set to rejoin the Sky Blues as part of Pep Guardiola’s plans to refresh his goalkeeping ranks. With Ederson’s future still uncertain and Stefan Ortega linked with a move away, Trafford’s return could signal a reshuffling of the guard between the posts. Trafford’s composure, distribution, and shot-stopping have long been admired in City’s corridors. The young goalkeeper has a current market value of €22 million.

Market Value J. Trafford Goalkeeper € 22.00 m

Man City have a €40m buy-back clause for Trafford, but according to transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano, City have agreed a deal with Burnley for under that fee. During his inaugural season at Turf Moor, when Burnley were in the Premier League, Trafford struggled at times, making some high-profile mistakes as Vincent Kompany's team were vilified for trying to play out from the back, and the Clarets were subsequently relegated. However, last term in the Championship, Trafford really began to show his worth, as he toppled the division's record for clean sheets. Transfermarkt takes a closer look at the deal taking shape, the player’s development since leaving City, and what his homecoming could mean for the champions’ goalkeeping future.

James Trafford's Championship clean sheet record

In last season's promotion from the Championship, Burnley's success was fortified around having a solid defence. In fact, the club not only broke, but obliterated the record for the least goals conceded in a single Championship campaign. As illustrated in the graphic above, Trafford picked the ball out of his net just 16 times in 46 matches - a truly astonishing record. Whilst the Championship can of course not replicate the levels of the Premier League, it is still a very competitive division and this achievement from Trafford and Burnley should not be scoffed at.

As highlighted above, Trafford himself also broke the record for the most clean sheets in a single Championship campaign. Amazingly, the 22-year-old managed to keep 29 clean sheets in the league alone last term, smashing the previous record of 24 shared by Dorus de Vries at Swansea in the 2009/10 season and John Ruddy at Wolves in the 2017/18 campaign. Trafford has grown a lot since he left Man City, but a return to the Etihad to potentially fill the shoes of Ederson is going to be a tough ask. Nevertheless, there is little doubt Trafford is one of the best young keepers in the country, and this deal will also come as a huge blow to Newcastle, who had also wanted him this summer.

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