James Trafford of Man City: ‘I was surprised’ to be the backup to Gianluigi Donnarumma
James Trafford has stated that he “didn’t anticipate” being positioned behind Gianluigi Donnarumma when he joined Manchester City over the summer.
Trafford made his return to the Etihad from Burnley in a £31 million ($42m) transfer in July.
He was the starting goalkeeper for the first three Premier League matches of the season — ahead of Éderson and Stefan Ortega — prior to Donnarumma’s arrival from Paris Saint-Germain on transfer deadline day.
Since then, Trafford has not started a league match, and the 23-year-old has acknowledged that serving as backup to the Italian international is not what he had anticipated.
“I didn’t foresee the situation unfolding this way, but it has, so I just have to move forward,” Trafford remarked.
“I will work diligently every day and see what unfolds, giving it my utmost effort.”
There has been speculation that Trafford — who declined a transfer to Newcastle to return to City — was assured he would be Pep Guardiola’s first choice upon his return from Turf Moor, but he maintains that this was not the case.
“No, that wasn’t the situation, but the [plan] didn’t materialize as expected,” he explained.
“It is what it is. This is football; you must continue to work hard every day and perform to the best of your ability in the matches that arise. It’s just another experience to contribute to my career, and yes, it has been a valuable learning opportunity.
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“I am uncertain about what will happen next season. I just know that I will take it one day at a time and strive to improve.”
Since Donnarumma’s signing, Trafford has had limited opportunities, featuring only in domestic cup competitions and one Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen.
With a World Cup approaching, his restricted playing time could jeopardize his selection for the England squad this season.
“I haven’t discussed with them whether this is sufficient, but I perform to the best of my ability and train hard every day; it ultimately depends on me,” he stated.
“Clearly, everyone is aware of my situation, so I must ensure that whenever I do play, I perform to the best of my capabilities.”
