Manchester City’s new goalkeeper ranking revealed after James Trafford deal as Ederson decision made | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola is set to reshuffle his goalkeeping order for the 2025/26 season after decisions were made on existing options amid James Trafford’s impending arrival.

The capture of Trafford represents both a nod to City’s future and a strategic reinforcement of their current goalkeeping department. The 22-year-old, who came through their before joining Burnley in 2023, is set to return to the Etihad Stadium in a deal worth £27 million.

City triggered a buy-back and matching clause just hours before its deadline this week, beating Newcastle United to his signature in the process after the Magpies’ late bid to secure the England international.

Ederson’s status as the club’s undisputed first-choice remains intact for now, but with just one year remaining on his contract, Manchester City officials are clearly preparing for the future and life beyond the transformational Brazilian.

Trafford is considered a long-term successor, with the club confident that his performances at Burnley have prepared him for the next step. Stefan Ortega’s situation is less clear-cut, with the German stopper weighing up his options amid interest from clubs across Europe.

The timing of Trafford’s move also aligns with a summer of change at City, with Pep Guardiola seeking to refresh numerous areas of his squad, including the defensive line and midfield, while the goalkeeping department was always expected to be addressed – particularly amid Ederson’s links to Galatasaray earlier this month.

Manchester City’s hierarchy is now looking to balance immediate stability with forward planning, ensuring that when Ederson does eventually depart and likely next summer, the transition will be seamless.

According to the information of The Athletic’s David Ornstein, City’s current number one in Ederson is set to stay at the club this summer despite links to the Turkish Super Lig, while the expectation is that Stefan Ortega could still leave – but nothing is close at present.

Follow up reporting from The Secret Scout on X has detailed that James Trafford himself knows that he will not be Manchester City’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 2025/26 season, although Ederson is expected to leave next summer upon the expiry of his Etihad contract.

Trafford’s move is expected to be finalised early next week, with medical tests scheduled for Monday. The five-year contract – with an option for an additional 12 months – underlines City’s belief in the young shot-stopper’s potential.

Newcastle, who initially had the opportunity to sign Trafford before the FIFA Club World Cup in May, recently increased their bid to £27 million only for City to step in, prompting the Premier League giants to act decisively.

Looking ahead, Pep Guardiola’s challenge will be integrating Trafford sufficiently to maintain his high performance levels whilst officially placed as back-up choice. Ederson remains one of the Premier League’s most influential goalkeepers, both with his distribution and commanding presence, and will likely remain key in City’s push for silverware in the coming campaign.

Trafford as deputy for the season would give him crucial exposure to Guardiola’s tactical demands and elite-level competition, accelerating his development ahead of an anticipated promotion to first-choice in 2026.

With fixtures across multiple competitions, including the UEFA Champions League, there are likely to be numerous opportunities for Trafford to feature in domestic cup games this season, and City fans can therefore expect a carefully managed transition.