James Trafford completes Man City switch - becoming Burnley's record sale
James Trafford becomes Burnley’s club record sale after completing his move back to Manchester City.
The 22-year-old also becomes the most expensive goalkeeper in British history by leaving for a fee of £31m, plus add-ons and a sell-on. The previous record, held by Everton’s Jordan Pickford, stood at £30m.
Trafford has signed a five-year deal with Pep Guardiola’s side, with the option of a further year.
Burnley’s previous record sale was Wilson Odobert’s move to Tottenham last summer.
“We would like to wish James all the best in his next chapter and thank him for his efforts,” the Clarets said in a statement.
Trafford’s departure follows a protracted saga that saw Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United chase his signature for over 12 months, but the Magpies were never able to agree a fee with Burnley and his former side have since swooped in.
Trafford signed for Man City's academy in 2015 but did not make a first-team appearance and spent time on loan at Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers.
The England Under-21 international has made 78 appearances for the Clarets over the past two seasons, including 28 in the Premier League in his debut campaign.
The stopper broke all sorts of records last season as Burnley won automatic promotion from the Championship with 100 points to their name. He kept 29 of Burnley’s 30 league clean sheets, as Scott Parker’s side shipped just 16 league goals all season.
While Trafford’s departure has been anticipated for some time now, confirmation of his exit comes as another major blow for manager Scott Parker – who has already lost CJ Egan-Riley and Josh Brownhill from last season’s promotion-winning side.
Both players turned down offers of a new contract – Egan-Riley opting to join Marseille on a free transfer while Brownhill’s next destination is yet to be revealed.
But the 29-year-old confirmed on social media on Monday that he will be moving on this summer off the back of his 18-goal season in the Championship.
The Clarets have so far added six new names to their squad ahead of their Premier League return, while four of last season’s loanees – Bashir Humphreys, Jaidon Anthony, Marcus Edwards and Zian Flemming – have joined permanently.