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Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Manchester City on brink of completing £27m move, with transfer set to break a British record
Burnley 's James Trafford is completing a move back to Manchester City for an initial £27million. The 22-year-old had been courted by Newcastle United for well over a year but has opted for a return to the Etihad Stadium, where he came through the club's academy. City sold Trafford to Burnley for an initial £14m two years ago and inserted matching rights into the deal. Once Newcastle bid for the England Under-21 international last week, City had to quickly decide whether to make their move – despite neither Ederson nor Stefan Ortega leaving so far this summer. Trafford's switch should be finalised imminently and he is expected to provide competition for Ederson during the last year of the Brazilian's contract. Trafford conceded only 16 goals as Burnley secured promotion back to the Premier League last term, keeping an astonishing 30 Championship clean sheets. That equalled a 71-year EFL record, set by Port Vale, and Thomas Tuchel subsequently called him up to England's senior squad. If add-ons are triggered then Trafford's transfer will end up north of £30m. It will eclipse the British record for a goalkeeper set when Jordan Pickford joined Everton.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'It's been very healthy' – Pep Guardiola reflects positively on ‘sacked in the morning' chants
Chants relentlessly aimed at Pep Guardiola during the toughest period of last season have ultimately been seen as a positive by the Manchester City manager. While the 2024/25 campaign may have fallen well short of City's exceptionally high standards, particularly following the club's historic treble success and fourth Premier League title in a row, Pep Guardiola has taken a reflective and philosophical stance on both his own performance and the criticism that came with it. For a club accustomed to winning almost everything on offer, the shift in fortunes last season sparked criticism not just from pundits and media outlets, but also through the voice of opposition fans up and down the country. Pep Guardiola's position came under public scrutiny as Manchester City struggled for form through the winter period in particular, prompting chants from rival supporters suggesting that his time at the Etihad Stadium could be nearing its end. But the 54-year-old has now addressed those comments directly, with his response underlining the mental resilience and humility that has made him one of the most admired figures in modern football. Speaking during a new interview with GQ Spain, Pep Guardiola has admitted that City's decline during the course of last season was a natural knock-on effect of their unrelenting dominance at the summit of the English game for so long. 'I don't think I'd attribute it so much to last year, but rather to the last seven years. When you win six Premier Leagues, there comes a time when you go downhill. It's human nature. Back then, we probably should have moved more players, but it's very easy to say that after the fact,' admitted Guardiola. 'It's a process that had to be experienced, which happens, which took longer to happen, and when it happened, it went deeper than we could have imagined. Not deep in the sense of ending badly, because in the end, we reached the FA Cup final and finished third, not 12,' he continued. 'It hasn't gone so badly. In retrospect, we'll see that it hasn't been such a bad season. But we have gone for many months without winning games. We've gone like 13 or 14 without winning, and that was… It had never happened before. But it puts you in your place.' The 54-year-old went on to say, 'Speaking on behalf of Manchester City, it's been very healthy for us to see it happen. Because success confuses you. It hasn't confused us for many years, but this year, players have been getting injured a lot. And you ask yourself: Why have they been getting injured so much when they didn't get injured before? 'Because the focus is no longer on what you have to do. When the focus is no longer on doing what you have to do, you get injured more. And you think: We'll recover, we'll come back… But the opponent is waiting for you. Why? Because you won a lot. 'And winning annoys those who don't win and wait for you. And that's what happened. But I think it will be very good for the next five or ten years.' But what about the chants aimed at him throughout the course of City's hugely problematic November and December period last campaign? Pep Guardiola looks at those moments with positivity now. 'I've been in every away stadium for four or five months this year with the crowd shouting, 'You'll be sacked in the morning.' I mean, they're going to throw you out. There's no profession – architect, teacher, doctor, journalist – that 60,000 people would ask to lose their jobs,' said Guardiola. 'They want you to lose your jobs. But our profession is so well-paid, they pay us so much money, that we can accept this. And if you don't want it, you go do another job. I have a friend, a writer friend, who always tells me, 'I wish my books could be criticised, destroyed, like you do when you lose, because it would mean a lot of people reading me.' And it's true. 'How many painters wish their works were seen by millions and millions of people, as our work is?' While Pep Guardiola has reaffirmed his commitment to City until the end of his current contract in 2027, the deeper reflection on last season's challenges – both personal and professional – could shape how the club approaches the campaign ahead. Tactical adjustments, refreshed squad dynamics, and a psychological reset may be key in reclaiming domestic and European superiority. Manchester City have already begun strengthening their ranks this summer, including the arrival of former goalkeeper James Trafford in a British record deal for his position, with more deals and exits anticipated. Pep Guardiola's own self-awareness and openness about his profession's pressures could serve as a reminder that even the most dominant of dynasties must confront adversity head-on. The road to redemption starts in pre-season, but Pep Guardiola's latest comments suggest he already has his eyes set firmly on the long-term future – not just for himself, but for the continued evolution of Manchester City.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Man City set to sign new £27m goalkeeper after beating Premier League rivals to his signature - with Ederson and Stefan Ortega futures still unclear
Manchester City are set to re-sign James Trafford from Burnley two years after he left Pep Guardiola 's side. The 22-year-old had been heavily linked with a move to Newcastle United and is even thought to have told the club he was willing to join last summer. The Magpies were in talks with Burnley earlier this window over a deal, and later tabled a £27million for the England shot-stopper. But when Trafford left the Etihad Stadium two years, he signed a contract including a 'matching clause', Mail Sport understands, meaning if City met a bid offered by a rival suitor he would have to make a return. And Pep Guardiola's set have reportedly done just that after igniting their interest in Trafford recently, with the goalkeeper in favour of a move to City over Newcastle. The deal is expected to be completed soon. What Trafford's arrival means for the future of Ederson and Stefan Ortega is yet to be seen, with both goalkeepers linked with a move away from the club this summer. Ederson was the subject of a £1million bid from Turkish giants Galatasary last week, but the Brazilian had previously dubbed reports of him leaving as 'fake news'. The expectation is now that Ortega could leave Manchester City in the coming weeks. Trafford's snub is the latest woe in a transfer window which is becoming quite a struggle for Eddie Howe and Newcastle. They've so far only secured the signature of Anthony Elanga in a £55million deal from Nottingham Forest despite putting in offers for a number of high-profile stars. They've missed out on both Hugo Ekitike and Bryan Mbuemo this summer, with the former completing a huge move to Liverpool and the latter moving north to Manchester United. And they're also finding their pursuit of Brentford's Yoane Wissa difficult, with Newcastle seeing a big rejected for the attacker a couple of weeks ago. Their latest target is thought to be RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, who had been linked with a move to Arsenal earlier this summer before they secured the services of Viktor Gyokeres. The club are perhaps preparing for life without their Swedish supertsar Alexander Isak, who told The Magpies' hierarchy that he wants to leave. Man City matched a bid of £27million from Newcastle United for Trafford The forward has not travelled with his team-mates on their pre-season tour of Singapore amid mounting interest from Premier League champions Liverpool. Eddie Howe responded to rumours surrounding Isak yesterday. When asked if he wanted a quick resolution, the Newcastle boss said: 'I wouldn't put a timescale on it. I think with these situations it has to be right for the football club, and everything then is taken into context below that. 'But the club will make the right decision with all the information that it has, and ultimately to try and move the club forward in whatever way that is. 'Then it's up to us to make good decisions the other way and try and improve the squad as best we can. That's what we're trying to do, regardless of Alex's situation. 'But I think there's a wider picture here. There's a whole football club that has to make the decision. The ownership, together with the board of directors, especially with the money involved in modern day transfers. The manager of course has an opinion, but ultimately the decision will rest with the board.'
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
James Trafford returns to Manchester City in £27m deal after Newcastle snub
James Trafford will rejoin Manchester City from Burnley after the club matched a £27m offer from Newcastle for the goalkeeper, who will sign a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium. The 22-year-old started his career at City after joining the academy from Carlisle. He never made a first-team appearance for the club, spending time on loan at Accrington, Bolton and Burnley before moving to Turf Moor for £14m. Trafford will join Ederson and Stefan Ortega at City in the battle to be first choice. Ederson has been a regular under Pep Guardiola but is a target for Galatasaray while Ortega has been the subject of numerous inquiries this summer. Newcastle had targeted Trafford for the past two seasons and thought they had convinced him to move to St James' Park, only to be beaten to him by City. Trafford spent a season in the Premier League under the former City captain Vincent Kompany. Like most of the Burnley team, the goalkeeper struggled and was eventually dropped in favour of Arijanet Muric. Last season, Trafford rebuilt his reputation in the Championship as part of a rigid Burnley defence, helping them finish second in the league to earn promotion. He has regularly been named in England squads but his yet to make his international debut.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
📸 Man City legend spotted buying new kits at the Etihad Stadium
Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany made a heartwarming return to familiar ground on Tuesday afternoon, as he was spotted at the City Store outside the Etihad Stadium purchasing Manchester City kits for his children. The moment, captured by photographer Matt James Kerr and shared by City Report on X (formerly Twitter), quickly garnered attention among fans. Kompany, now the head coach of Bayern Munich, appeared relaxed and cheerful as he browsed the club merchandise — a subtle nod to his lasting connection with the club where he became a legend. Kompany captained City through one of the most successful eras in their history, winning four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and four League Cups between 2008 and 2019. His thunderous goal against Leicester City in the 2018–19 title run-in remains etched in the memory of supporters. Despite his coaching commitments in Germany, Kompany's presence at the Etihad – even just as a dad picking up shirts – underlines the deep affection he still holds for Manchester City. It's a touching reminder that for all the trophies and glory, football remains a family affair. 📸 Michael Regan - 2019 Getty Images
