Trafford's City return under scrutiny as Donnarumma arrives

Manchester City have re-signed goalkeeper James Trafford, but the 22-year-old may now be questioning the plan after Pep Guardiola secured Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain for £26 million.

Trafford, a product of City's academy, left for Burnley in 2023 and played a pivotal role as they won promotion back to the top flight. At the start of this season he was handed the number one shirt and was expected to challenge for first-team minutes, even starting the opening three Premier League games. The scenario shifted on deadline day when City opted to sell Ederson to Fenerbahce and prioritised Donnarumma as the new long-term number one. Trafford now faces the challenge of proving his worth while serving as the understudy behind a goalkeeper regarded as one of the world's best.

The transfer dispute over Trafford’s fee also drew attention in the late summer window. City sources cited a fee around £27 million with add-ons, while Burnley placed the figure closer to £31 million plus add-ons and a sell-on clause, a sum Burnley described as a club-record for a British goalkeeper.

Trafford enjoyed a standout season with Burnley, contributing 29 clean sheets across 45 Championship games and earning the Championship Player of the Year accolade from the PFA. He kept a clean sheet on his City debut in the 4-0 win at Wolves but was part of the team when City lost to Tottenham and later drew praise for performances that helped him earn further first-team opportunities as City compete on four fronts. Guardiola has indicated that the club will rotate keepers, and Trafford is set to start Wednesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie with Huddersfield as part of the plan to give him game time.

Behind the scenes, Trafford understood the pull of a move back to City after leaving Burnley, particularly given Newcastle United’s long-standing interest. City activated a sell-on clause to keep themselves in a position to recapture the player if another bid came in, a scenario that ultimately coincided with Newcastle’s involvement in negotiations. If Trafford had chosen St James’ Park, he would have faced competition from England international Nick Pope, though there were no guarantees he would have displaced him.

Donnarumma, by contrast, arrives with a profile that places him in the elite class of goalkeepers. The 26-year-old Italian goalkeeper has 76 caps and has captained his national team at a young age, and his arrival immediately alters City’s approach to the goalkeeper position. His success with PSG, including a treble last season, and his recognition as one of the best in the world, as well as his Yashin Award profile, set a high bar for Trafford to meet. Donnarumma’s status has also shifted England’s internal calculations on potential goalkeeping depth, given the competition in the national team setup.

For Trafford, the path is clear: seize first-team opportunities when they arise and continue to develop behind an established world-class operator. The signing of Donnarumma presents a longer-term test of Trafford’s readiness to assume prominent responsibilities at Manchester City, a challenge that will play out across the Carabao Cup and the Premier League as the season progresses. Guardiola emphasized the need for a longer-term view, noting that the club’s second-choice goalkeeper will feature regularly and that the young Englishman will learn alongside a world-class colleague as part of his ongoing education at Manchester City.

With the fixture list busy in four competitions, Trafford will head to West Yorkshire for the Wednesday night showdown with Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup third round, a match viewed as a vital platform to display consistency and adaptability at the highest level. For now, the reintroduction of Trafford at City, combined with Donnarumma’s arrival, has infused the goalkeeper department with renewed competition and an added layer of intrigue for City’s season ahead. The implications extend beyond one matchday, as Trafford navigates the realities of a club that values development alongside immediate success and a renewed commitment to strategic depth in goalkeeping.