“”Manchester City is delighted to confirm the signature of James Trafford from Burnley. The 22 -year -old English goalkeeper finalized his transfer to the Etihad Stadium, signing a five -year contract until June 2030. This is a moving return to City for the English international under 21 who spent almost eight years at the club within our academy before moving to Turf Moor in 2023». Through a press release, published on July 29, Manchester City formalized the return of James Trafford. Wanting to offer a new goalkeeper after the complicated season of Ederson Moraes and Stefan Ortega, the Skyblues did not hesitate to pose 30 million euros. Propelled number 1 in the Mancunian cages, the winner of Euro U21 2023 with England also lived a very quiet first.
Last weekend, at the Molinine Stadium, the 22-year-old goalkeeper observed his new partners unrolling against Wolverhampton (4-0). A mastered introduction (3 stops, 100% successful reminders by hand) which only asked to be confirmed this Saturday against Tottenham, a much more tough opponent. Once again established in the goals and under the eyes of an Ederson, in the start and relegated to the replacement bench, the former last bulwark of Burnley finally missed out on his subject. Little reassuring in his first interventions, embarrassed by the pressing of the Spurs and regularly pushed to the fault in his reminders (69% of successful passes), the new reinforcement of City would even commit the irreparable. Guilty of bad recovery to Nico Gonzalez, Trafford offered the second goal to Palhinha (45+2nd).
Trafford already under pressure!
What to provoke the laughter of a certain Phil Foden when the cameraman decided to make a close -up on Ederson after this terrible dumpling … Before that, the 22 -year -old could only see the damage on the shot at close range of Brennan Johnson (35th) and could even have seen red after an exit more than limited to the front of Mohammed Kudus (39th). Always as disturbing on the return from the locker room, like this new hazardous outing against Richarlison (74th), Trafford still concluded his match with a double parade on a Solanke strike and then a resumption of Odobert's head (90+3rd). However, insufficient to save its cataclysmic performance. Sufficient, on the other hand, to relaunch the guards' debate on the side of Manchester City. Between nostalgia for stability with Ederson, promises of freshness with Ortega, market opportunities with Donnarumma and Ambitions of the future with Trafford, Pep Guardiola is now faced with a nice puzzle.
Asked before the meeting against the Spurs, the Spanish technician returned to the file of the Brazilian goalkeeper, courted by Galatasaray, who has already made a first offer of 10 million euros. “We'll see tomorrow. Because after the match against Brighton … The transfer window will be finished, and there, we can say: “Ok, it's good.” For the moment, everything revolves around: “What will happen?” “he confided. What about the Donnarumma case, author of moving farewells, this Friday evening, at the Parc des Princes? In search of a new challenge after the arrival of Lucas Chevalier in the French capital, the last Italian bulwark candidate, also, at the number 1 post on the side of Manchester City, determined to seize his luck. One thing is certain, the first failed outing of James Trafford at the Etihad Stadium is likely to push Mancunian leaders a little more to consider other options. It remains to be seen if the young goalkeeper will bounce back or if he will suffer from this nightmarish afternoon …
