Revealed: Manchester City have big-money buy back clause in contract of goalkeeper wanted by Newcastle | OneFootball

Manchester City have a buy back clause embedded into the contract of James Trafford at Burnley amid transfer interest from Newcastle United, it has been revealed.

The Premier League champions are expected to undergo another significant period of transfer market business over the summer months as the club looks to return Pep Guardiola’s side to its former competitive self following a hugely disappointing season.

Work began during the winter window when Manchester City spent over €200 million on four new arrivals across the squad, but doubts over up to eight first-team players will mean heavier investment is anticipated after the close of the campaign.

Among the positions that could be addressed is the goalkeeping contingent, with Ederson expected to see interest from Saudi Arabia revived and Stefan Ortega Moreno continuing to attract watchful eyes from Germany in particular amid his role as back-up under Guardiola.

And as that conversation remains ongoing and debates over whether Manchester City should bring in new shot-stoppers continues, a new report has revealed an interesting clause in the contract of one of England’s finest rising goalkeeping talents.

According to the information of MailSport’s Craig Hope, a fee in excess of £40 million was included by Manchester City as an option to re-sign James Trafford from Burnley in future, should they be interested in the idea.

That came after the reigning Premier League champions finalised a move for Trafford in July 2023, seeing their Academy graduate make the switch to Turf Moor for an initial £15 million fee potentially rising to £19 million with add-ons.

The latter amount would break Burnley’s transfer record while a sell-on clause simultaneously meant that Carlisle United received 15 per cent of the fee for around £2.25 million upon his exit from Manchester City.

However, MailSport’s report quotes sources who have played down the possibility of the Premier League champions’ option being an issue and state that ‘all roads still lead to’ Newcastle United, regardless of whether Burnley win promotion back to the English top-flight.

The report continues by claiming that sources have expressed ‘extreme confidence’ this week of James Trafford’s transfer to St James’ Park going through at the end of the ongoing season, with the 22-year-old himself still set on the idea.

Other goalkeeping links involving Manchester City have been few and far between in recent weeks, although there has been some conversation over Porto and Portugal international, Diogo Costa.

Manchester City strengthened their relationship with the Estádio do Dragão club during the winter market as the two sides worked healthily to finalise a €60 million switch for Nico Gonzalez to the Etihad Stadium on deadline day.

It remains to be seen whether such a relationship could benefit any future transfer business, and particularly over one of the most in-demand goalkeepers in European football at present.