James Trafford has opened up on his struggles at Manchester City after struggling to hold down a spot during his debut campaign with the Premier League outfit.
James Trafford won the FA Cup and the EFL Cup with Manchester City this past season, but he played just 360 minutes of Premier League football with them. The 23-year-old is naturally disappointed with the situation and has revealed that he would have liked to play more often.
There is no doubt that the Englishman is a quality goalkeeper, and he has shown his ability with Manchester City during his cup appearances. Despite playing just over 1,500 minutes across all competitions, he has kept eight clean sheets for Manchester City. He was in goal when they won the domestic trophies as well.
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been Manchester City’s first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. The Italian international is a world-class keeper, and he is one of the best in his position. It is no surprise that Manchester City have used Trafford as a backup option.
However, the 23-year-old English goalkeeper is a supreme talent as well. He has shown his quality in the past with Burnley in the EFL Championship, and there is no doubt he has the ability to succeed in the Premier League as well. At some point, the player will need to make a strong decision regarding his future if he wants to play regularly.
Trafford said to Sky Sports, “It’s obviously been very challenging the past season, but looking back, I’ve learned so much, I’ve developed so much. I thought I’d had a lot of experiences up to this point in my career, but this was a new experience for me in everything. It was obviously very tough.
“Some days were harder than others, but the one thing I wanted to keep doing was keep winning the day and just improving every day, and because I kept doing that I came out of the season having played a part in winning the two trophies. It was a very challenging season, but I learned a lot for myself and for going forward in my career.”
James Trafford needs a move
The Manchester City goalkeeper has been linked with clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United in recent weeks. It will be interesting to see if any of those clubs come forward with an attractive offer to sign him. The Englishman has a contract with Manchester City until 2030, and getting the deal done could prove to be difficult.
Manchester City are under no pressure to sell him, and they could demand a premium. We have previously covered reports claiming Manchester City are looking at potential replacements, with Pierce Charles a target. It remains to be seen whether the player can convince the Premier League club to give him more opportunities next season, if he ends up staying.