Trafford’s Future at Man City Remains Uncertain

James Trafford’s story is one of ambition, timing and now, uncertainty. The goalkeeper rose through the Man City academy yet never made a senior appearance before being sold to Burnley in 2023. There he endured the harsh reality of relegation but played a commanding role in guiding Scott Parker’s side back to the Premier League.

When the call came from the Etihad in the summer, Trafford chose to return. The promise was enticing, the vision compelling. He was handed the number one shirt, an announcement that suggested faith, responsibility and the prospect of a long-term future guarding the City goal. At just 22, this was the opportunity to step into the highest level of the game, a platform to challenge for both domestic honours and a spot in the England squad.

“I always dreamed that one day I would be able to come back to Manchester City,” Trafford said in July after signing his five-year contract. “This is the place I call home.”

That dream has been disrupted. Trafford started the opening three Premier League fixtures, appearing ahead of schedule in his pursuit of a regular place. But the final day of the transfer window reshaped his role entirely.

Pep Guardiola sanctioned the sale of Ederson to Fenerbahce and, instead of entrusting Trafford with the position, welcomed Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain for £26 million. It was a deal too tempting to ignore, a chance to secure a proven world-class goalkeeper, and in doing so Trafford slipped from the main stage into a supporting role.

Former City keeper Shay Given told BBC Radio 5 Live: “James Trafford is a brilliant goalkeeper. In a World Cup year, Pep will have given him the full sales pitch saying, ‘you are coming in and the number one jersey is yours. You will be playing regularly, challenging for the Premier League and playing Champions League football and if you play your cards right, you might be playing for England in the World Cup next summer’.

“Fast forward two weeks and the big man Donnarumma comes in and he is parked up for the season. If it was me, I’d be raging. Raging! To have had that conversation and then this guy turns up, what does Trafford do now?”

Trafford will start in the Carabao Cup against Huddersfield, Guardiola confirmed, an opportunity to remind everyone of his qualities.

The decision to return to City rather than accept Newcastle’s interest was significant. Eddie Howe’s side had long admired Trafford and talks advanced in the summer. Burnley’s sale agreement included a clause allowing City to match any bid, which they activated once the Magpies reached a fee.

Trafford chose the familiar over the uncertain, the Etihad over St James’ Park. In the north east, he would have competed with Nick Pope, a challenge with no guarantees but one that could have allowed him to play more regularly. Instead, he now faces Gianluigi Donnarumma, a goalkeeper with 76 caps for Italy, a European Championship medal, and the Yashin award as the world’s best in his position.

In Donnarumma, Trafford is competing not against potential but against a generational figure, one who made his AC Milan debut at 16 and broke English hearts in the Euro 2020 final. The Italian has already lifted the Champions League with PSG and though replaced in Paris by Lucas Chevalier, he remains regarded among the very best.

Trafford’s fee raised eyebrows too, with differing accounts between City and Burnley. Reports placed the figure between £27 million and £31 million, potentially a record for a British goalkeeper. With that price tag comes expectation and scrutiny, the type of pressure that can shape a career.

His performances for Burnley last season were outstanding, 29 clean sheets in 45 Championship matches, rewarded with the Championship Player of the Year at the PFA awards. At City, he kept a clean sheet on his debut in a 4-0 win over Wolves, made an error against Tottenham, yet impressed in the defeat to Brighton.

Guardiola has spoken warmly of his young goalkeeper. “Unbelievable. He’s training better than ever, he’s a fantastic keeper. And with me, the second keepers always play a lot of games so there will not be an exception. [He is] so safe, so confident and so young, he will learn with Gigi and the future, we’ll see what happens.”

City’s involvement in four competitions should ensure Trafford gains minutes, but whether those chances lead to establishing himself as the long-term first choice remains in doubt. For England, the task of dislodging Jordan Pickford is already formidable, now complicated further by limited opportunities at club level.

Trafford’s journey is at a delicate stage. He has the talent, the ambition and the backing of his manager, yet he must navigate the frustration of watching another goalkeeper occupy the stage that seemed set for him. Wednesday’s match at Huddersfield provides another chance to show his worth, but the wider question lingers over whether returning to the Etihad was the right decision for his career.