Here We Go: Manchester City reach agreement for goalkeeper buy-back deal, confirms Fabrizio Romano | OneFootball

Manchester City have reached a full agreement to bring James Trafford back to his boyhood club after two years at Burnley, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed.

Trafford is set to put pen to paper, undergo a medical and seal a full-circle return to the Etihad Stadium after establishing himself as one of the brightest young goalkeepers in England off the back of a positive spell at Turf Moor.

The 22-year-old had attracted interest from Newcastle in this transfer window, with Eddie Howe keen to add Trafford to his ranks after another impressive year for the Magpies, who secured qualification to the upcoming UEFA Champions League campaign courtesy of an eye-catching fifth-place Premier League finish last term.

However, Manchester City’s interest amid uncertainty over the future(s) of Ederson and Stefan Ortega Moreno has turned Trafford’s head in the end and the England U-21 international is set to return to where it all began for him in his youth career.

City have enjoyed a busy window as far as incomings are concerned, acting early in June to secure the arrival(s) of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki – who all featured for the Blues at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

Sverre Nypan, 18, joined in from Norwegian side Rosenborg and is expected to report for first-team training on July 28 – as club bosses deliberate on where the teenage midfielder’s development will be best served next season.

Manchester City have also been linked with the addition of a new right-back following the departure of Kyle Walker to Burnley – a deal that could fetch the Blues around £5 million if conditions are met.

Newcastle’s Valentino Livramento remains of strong interest but the finances involved and Howe’s desire to keep hold of the England international have proved to be a stumbling block in negotiations so far – with newly-appointed sporting director Hugo Viana spearheading Manchester City’s summer revamp after a sub-standard 2024-25 campaign.

As Manchester City look to win a fifth Premier League title in six seasons after seeing Arne Slot leading Liverpool all the way in his first year at Anfield, the Blues have struck an agreement to bring back one of their best academy graduates back to the Etihad Stadium ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Manchester City have a full agreement in place to sign Burnley’s James Trafford, who has given the go-ahead for a long-term contract at the Etihad Stadium for a fee lesser than the widely reported £40 million buy-back clause held by City in Trafford’s contract at Turf Moor.

City are awaiting firm decisions on the respective future(s) of Ederson and Ortega Moreno as the opening day of the new Premier League campaign appears on the horizon. Ederson has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, with Ortega Moreno also believed to be open to an exit.

Guardiola was expecting Ederson and Ortega Moreno to stay put into the 2025-26 season but Trafford’s imminent arrival is likely to signal the departure of at least one of the existing goalkeeping duo, who welcomed Bettinelli to Manchester City’s goalkeeping department last month as Scott Carson was released at the end of his contract.