Manchester City top player has reportedly made it known that he will leave the club in January despite joining Pep Guardiola’s side a few months ago.
According to the report, James Trafford’s second spell at Manchester City was meant to mark the beginning of a long-term stay, a homecoming built on the momentum of an excellent season elsewhere.
Instead, barely five months after rejoining Sky Blues, the 21-year-old goalkeeper is understood to be pushing for an exit once the January transfer window opens.
Reports from the Daily Mail suggest Trafford is increasingly unsettled, with concerns over his game time and international ambitions prompting him to consider a swift departure.
It is a turn of events few foresaw when City brought him back in the summer, activating a buy-back option following a standout campaign at Burnley.
Trafford had developed through Manchester City’s academy from an early age, long identified internally as one of the most technically clean young goalkeepers in the country.
His 2024–25 season at Burnley underlined those expectations: 30 clean sheets, a commanding presence in the penalty area, and a leading role in the club’s push back to the Premier League.
For many, it appeared inevitable he would eventually graduate into the No. 1 role at the Etihad.
Guardiola appeared to share that confidence. Trafford started the early rounds of the new Premier League season and looked poised to establish himself as the first choice.
But the dynamic shifted dramatically in the final hours of the transfer window. James Trafford’s second spell at Manchester City is not going as plan after the club stunned the football world by securing Italian international Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Donnarumma’s arrival instantly changed the tone of Trafford’s position.
While Guardiola remained diplomatic in public, the Italian has since stepped straight into the starting line-up, leaving Trafford to watch from the bench.
It is a hard reality for a young goalkeeper who, just weeks ago, appeared to be one of the club’s central long-term projects.
With Donnarumma establishing himself at the top of the pecking order, Trafford’s minutes have dwindled to almost nothing.
And with a major tournament on the horizon, there is concern that remaining sidelined could severely hamper his England hopes.
Trafford is believed to be deeply aware of the implications. He is said to view consistent top-flight football as the only way to keep himself in contention for a place in the senior England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
His fears are not unfounded. England manager Thomas Tuchel has taken what has been described as an “uncompromising stance” on selection.
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The national coach has stressed the need for regular appearances at the “European-level standard” if players hope to break into or maintain their place in the squad.
With that in mind, James Trafford has little interest in spending an entire season behind Donnarumma with no clear path to opportunities.
According to those close to the situation, he has made his priority clear: regular playing time, something he feels unlikely to receive with Donnarumma installed as first-choice.
Meanwhile, the Manchester City’s goalkeeper situation is complicated further by uncertainty around the future of Stefan Ortega.
The German shot-stopper, who has provided reliable cover since his arrival at the club, is also reportedly unsettled and exploring his options.
Should both Ortega and Trafford press for exits, Guardiola could face the possibility of a complete restructuring of his goalkeeping department mid-season—a scenario few at the club would have envisioned when the campaign began.