Man City's Disgruntled Summer Recruit Eyes Shock January Escape—Report
Manchester City are confronting a possible goalkeeping emergency as two of their shot-stoppers—including £31 million ($40.9 million) summer acquisition James Trafford—are contemplating a January exit from the club.
City invested heavily in Trafford just this past July, striking an agreement with Burnley that established the former England Under-21 international as the most costly British goalkeeper in history, eclipsing the £30 million deal that brought Jordan Pickford from Sunderland to Everton in 2017.
An interesting aspect of the Trafford transaction actually resulted in City receiving £4 million back through the sell-on clause included in the transfer arrangement when the club had initially sold him to Burnley in 2023.
Trafford started the 2025–26 campaign as Pep Guardiola's first-choice goalkeeper, earning selection over Ederson. However, uncertain early displays, including during a humbling loss to Tottenham Hotspur, left supporters concerned. Subsequent events then witnessed Paris Saint-Germain unexpectedly choosing to part ways with Gianluigi Donnarumma, with City seizing the chance to secure the Italian on Deadline Day.
The 2025 Yashin Trophy recipient was actually marginally less expensive than Trafford, while Ederson departed for Fenerbahçe as part of the arrangement to make room for him.
Donnarumma has featured in every Premier League match since and it has placed Trafford in a challenging and arguably embarrassing situation, purchased and substituted within a single transfer window. His only following appearances have come in the Carabao Cup and a 2–0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.
The Daily Mail indicates that Trafford is now examining the January window with thoughts of departing, having been informed upon his arrival that he would be the primary choice. It was anticipated that he could utilize the transfer to City to compete with Pickford for England's starting position heading into the 2026 World Cup. Instead, his abrupt demotion to a substitute role at club level might see Trafford excluded entirely.
Newcastle United could be a destination for him, after the interested Magpies were outbid for his services by City during the summer. Eddie Howe's squad ultimately secured Aaron Ramsdale on loan from Southampton, but it was experienced Nick Pope who retained the No. 1 position.
Trafford isn't the sole goalkeeper contemplating his future. The Mail reports that Stefan Ortega, previously the occasionally featured backup to Ederson, also plans to depart. The German, who accumulated 56 appearances across three seasons before 2025–26, has been demoted to third choice and hasn't even been named on the bench since the Premier League season opener in August.
How Donnarumma Could Make Unwanted Premier League History
Goalkeepers receiving yellow cards is fairly uncommon, but Donnarumma is altering that pattern in his inaugural season in England. The Italian has astonishingly already been booked four times in merely 10 Premier League outings, positioning him one caution away from a single-match ban.
Concerning regarding his discipline, all four yellow cards were preventable, with three issued for dissent and the remaining one given for time-wasting.
No other goalkeeper has previously served a one-match suspension for accumulated yellow cards in Premier League history. Current regulations cause the tally to reset at the season's midpoint following the 19th gameweek, meaning those other goalkeepers—and there have been 12 throughout the years—who eventually collected five yellow cards over a campaign avoided suspension.
Donnarumma's present booking rate averages one yellow card every 2.5 matches. To prevent establishing this undesirable record, he must navigate six more games without another caution—City face Fulham, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland again before the accumulation resets following the match against the latter on Jan. 1.
"He is mature enough [not to get booked again]," Guardiola stated this week, showing confidence that the matter of Donnarumma's on-field behavior can be resolved and reduced. "For sure, we will gradually understand things in the league and new behaviors."