James Trafford set to begin for Manchester City in Carabao Cup final – but departure remains a possibility.

Pep Guardiola has announced that James Trafford will be the starting goalkeeper for the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, while also suggesting that the goalkeeper may depart from the Etihad Stadium at the conclusion of the season.

In a February interview, Trafford mentioned that he “didn’t anticipate” being positioned behind Gianluigi Donnarumma upon his return to the club from Burnley last summer.

Guardiola stated during a press conference that he had “nothing to comment” regarding those remarks, but confirmed that the 23-year-old will be part of the squad at Wembley.

“Players can feel content or discontent; it is what it is,” Guardiola remarked.

“They need to be here to perform to the best of their abilities, and afterward, we will see what unfolds at the end of the season. The key point is that they must be prepared.”

Following their encounter at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final, City and Arsenal are also set to clash in the Premier League at the Etihad in April.

This match could potentially influence the outcome of the Premier League title, but Guardiola expressed uncertainty about whether a victory on Sunday would assist City in regaining momentum in the title race.

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“I don’t know,” the City manager stated.

“As I mentioned earlier, winning is beneficial simply because winning is beneficial.

“We could win on Sunday and then perform poorly in the league. I have learned that in numerous competitions and many matches with a brief recovery period, one must possess the ability to forget and move on.”