Manchester City Identify ‘World Class’ Signing – Deal Depends on Outgoings

Manchester City are considering a move to re-sign former academy goalkeeper James Trafford, as per Fabrizio Romano. The News has broken just hours after French publication L’Equipe reported that Turkish giant Galatasaray had made a bid for Ederson. A further update from Romano has revealed that contact between City and Burnley has already begun, with the Manchester club looking to negotiate a lower fee than the buy-back clause of 40 million.

Galatasaray Bid for Ederson, James Trafford Identified as Replacement

Potential Goalkeeper Merry-Go-Round at Manchester City

Romano reports that City are only interested in signing Trafford if one of Stefan Ortega Moreno or Ederson leaves the Etihad Stadium this summer. The deal would be fairly straightforward as the Cityzens could trigger the buyback clause that they inserted into the initial deal to sell the 22-year-old to Burnley two years ago.

The Italian journalist has broken the news on the same day that L’Equipe have reported that Turkish Super Lig winners Galatasaray have made a bid for Ederson. The Lions’ bid is thought to be worth €3 million, which seems like an extremely low value, even though the Brazilian has just one year left on his contract.

If Ederson’s move to Turkey was to go through, City may need to act quickly to secure the services of Trafford, who was called ‘world class‘ by manager Scott Parker earlier this year, as Newcastle United are also interested in signing the Burnley goalkeeper and talks are already at an advanced stage. However, City’s buyback clause means that the Magpies may not have much leverage if Pep Guardiola’s side decides to sign the Englishman.

Would James Trafford Be a Good Replacement for Ederson?

Trafford is a young goalkeeper who has the potential to be as good as, if not better than, Ederson, but moving from a club in the Championship to a club in the Champions League is a big jump in quality. The former England Under-21 international is yet to even fully prove himself in the Premier League, as he was replaced in goal by another former City keeper, Arijanet Muric, during the backend of the 2023/24 season.

Ederson’s ability on the ball exceeds that of any goalkeeper in the world, over both short and long distances. His long ball in particular was used to good effect last season, as he picked up a staggering four assists. Although Trafford is good with his feet, he will likely never be able to have the same impact as the Brazilian on the ball.

One aspect of the Brazilian’s game that has been criticised at points is his shot-stopping ability. He is solid in between the sticks, but his save percentage in the Premier League has been distinctly average over the last eight seasons, ranking in eighth place during the 23/24 season, though he was down in 17th place during the 2022/23 campaign. Trafford has demonstrated his shot-stopping ability in the Championship last season, being a key part of the Burnley defence, which broke almost every defensive record imaginable.

However, this could be the ideal time for the youngster to move back to the Etihad Stadium. Ortega has repeatedly expressed his desire to be the Cityzens’ first-choice goalkeeper over the last 18 months, and, if Ederson were to leave, he could potentially take up that mantle for the 2025/26 campaign. Trafford could assume Ortega’s role, which would see him play regularly in the League Cup and FA Cup, as well as in the Premier League and Champions League on occasion, whilst he gets used to the way that Guardiola wants his goalkeepers to play. In the summer of 2026, Ortega could leave the Etihad upon the expiration of his contract, clearing the way for Trafford to become City’s number one for years to come.