Man City goalkeeper James Trafford makes stark admission about Gianluigi Donnarumma transfer & opens door to summer exit

Trafford, who started out in City’s academy system, returned to familiar surroundings in the summer of 2025 when a £27 million ($37m) deal was struck with Burnley. He headed back to Manchester as a European U21 Championship winner and with ambitions of becoming a senior international.

Guardiola started the season with Trafford between the posts, but left many people stunned - including a few in his own squad - when snapping up Euro 2020 winner Donnarumma when exit doors opened up for the towering Italy international at Paris Saint-Germain.

Donnarumma was acquired for £26m ($35m) and immediately became City’s first-choice keeper. That has left Trafford filling a back-up role, with no Premier League minutes seen since August 31. He has become the Blues’ cup custodian - taking in 11 appearances across all competitions.

Trafford admits that he was left in the dark when it came to City’s interest in Donnarumma, as he was ready to nail down a starting berth at the Etihad. He has said: “I didn't expect the situation to happen, but it happened, so just get on with it. It’s happened so I work very hard every day and see what happens, give it my best shot.”

Trafford insists that he was never promised a No.1 role at City, but expected to be front of that queue. He added: “No, it wasn't that, but it [the plan] wasn't what happened. It is what it is. It's football, it is what it is, you've got to keep grafting every day and the games that come, play as hard as you can. It's just another experience to add to my career and yeah, it has been good learning.”

Guardiola has said of Trafford, having handed him a rare start in City’s 2-0 FA Cup fourth round win over neighbours Salford: “He is so reliable. Fantastic keeper.”

That billing will not be enough to convince Trafford that he should stick around if tempting offers are tabled in the next transfer window. He added when asked what the future holds: “Let’s take it a day at a time and try and work as hard as I can and whatever happens, happens. I’ve obviously got a contract, so don’t know what happens next season. I just know that I’ll just take it a day at a time and try and improve.”

City’s impressive progress on multiple fronts this season is helping to keep Trafford involved. They are into the fifth round of the FA Cup, the last 16 of the Champions League, the Carabao Cup final and remain in the hunt for another Premier League title.

Donnarumma is, however, likely to be favoured in top-flight competition and the business end of a bid for European glory. Regular outings could be in short supply for Trafford as the season wears on, which will make it increasingly difficult for him to catch the eye of England boss Thomas Tuchel.

He has been given no indication, though, that the Three Lions are planning on looking elsewhere for support options behind regular No.1 Jordan Pickford.

On his claims to a World Cup spot, Trafford said: “I haven't spoken to them [about] if that's enough, but I play as well as I can and train every day very hard and it's just down to me. Obviously everyone knows what's going on with me, so I've just got to, whenever I play, play as well as I can.”

England will be back in action when facing Uruguay and Japan in late March. They will be the final fixtures before Tuchel settles on his World Cup squad, meaning that Trafford needs to get the nod in order to stand any chance of securing a seat on the plane to North America.