Whatever happens with one keeper at Manchester City this summer, City are more than covered in goal
· Yahoo Sports
Manchester City are fortunate to have two top-quality goalkeepers in their squad. In Gianluigi Donnarumma, City have one of the world’s best shot-stoppers and a top keeper in general as their number-one goalkeeper. James Trafford is City’s backup keeper, and he has the talent and potential to become a premier goalkeeper. Trafford has shown this in his past two starts against Arsenal and Liverpool. Given that James Trafford needs to play regularly to fulfill his ambitions and potential, a summer move away from Manchester City seems likely for the England international. If Trafford does leave City, they are more than covered with Gianluigi Donnarumma remaining Manchester City’s number-one goalkeeper.
James Trafford seems likely to leave Manchester City this summer.
In a question and answer article for the Manchester Evening News, Simon Bajkowski was asked about James Trafford’s future heading into this summer’s transfer window. Bajkowski answered that the expectation is that Trafford will leave Manchester City this summer. However, Bajkowski reports that City do not want to sell Trafford this summer. Furthermore, Bajkowski adds that City will likely recoup a sizable transfer fee for Trafford, which will see them make a profit on the sum they paid to sign the England international from Burnley last summer.
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If Trafford does leave City, they will still have one of the world’s best goalkeepers on their books.
As mentioned above, Manchester City are blessed to have two quality goalkeepers in their squad. However, it is highly unlikely that James Trafford will be at Manchester City come the beginning of next season. In fact, it would be a major surprise if Trafford didn’t make a permanent move away from City. He is too good a goalkeeper to be a second-choice keeper. Trafford also has his own ambitions to fulfill. The ideal scenario would be that Trafford would rise and become Manchester City’s first-choice keeper. However, that is unlikely given that Gianluigi Donnarumma stands in his way. There is also something special about the potential of a City academy graduate like Trafford rising to become Manchester City’s number-one goalkeeper. For right now, that doesn’t seem likely.
If James Trafford were to leave Manchester City as expected, City would be in the market for a backup keeper next summer. However, they will still be in a strong place in terms of the goalkeeper position. Gianluigi Donnarumma is one of, if not the best, goalkeepers in world football. It is not as if Trafford’s leaving City would make them desperate for a top-quality goalkeeper. They already have that in Donnarumma, who has a different set of strengths from those of James Trafford. In the excitement that has surrounded James Trafford’s past two performances, how good Donnarumma is has been forgotten to some degree.
Final thoughts.
James Trafford seems highly likely to leave Manchester City this summer. It would be sad to see Trafford depart City, given everything he represents as a City academy graduate. However, Pep Guardiola’s squad will still have Gianluigi Donnarumma in it for next season. So City will still be fortunate enough to have a top-quality goalkeeper in their squad even if one of the most promising keepers in the Premier League does depart the club this summer.