“Everyone knows what’s going on,” says James Trafford on Manchester City future | OneFootball

Manchester City’s James Trafford has issued further comment on his current situation at the Etihad Stadium, looking ahead to a big summer for the 23-year-old.

The current campaign has proven to be a defining one for Trafford since his return to City, with the goalkeeper navigating a challenging balance between opportunity and patience within Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Having arrived with the expectation of competing for regular minutes and perhaps holding down the number one spot in the side, the landscape around the position evolved quickly, reshaping his role within the goalkeeping department.

After completing a £31 million move back from Burnley last summer, Trafford initially featured prominently during the opening weeks of the season. However, as City strengthened further late in the window through Gianluigi Donnarumma, his match involvement shifted.

Despite reduced exposure, Trafford has remained a visible presence in domestic cup fixtures, where his performances have underlined both his reliability and development, allowing him to stay sharp and contribute meaningfully to City’s progress across multiple tournaments.

Speaking to reporters after City’s 2-0 win over Salford City in the FA Cup, James Trafford was quizzed by reporters on what the future holds for him in the game, as he continues to act as back-up to Gianluigi Donnarumma.

“Obviously everyone knows what’s going on with me so I’ve just got to play as well as I can whenever I play,” Trafford admitted when the subject of a potential review on his situation at the end of the season was brought up.

“Let’s take it a day at a time and try and work as hard as I can and whatever happens, happens,” he continued.

MailSport’s Jack Gaughan has reported that at least one Premier League club registered interest in James Trafford during the most recent January transfer window, and a number of suitors are expected to surface over the coming months.

“I’ve obviously got a contract. I don’t know what happens next season,” Trafford insisted. He continued, “I just know that I’ll just take it a day at a time and try and improve.

“He [Gianluigi Donnarumma] is a great fella, he is a lovely man. We both train as hard as we can and try to improve ourselves. Obviously he’s had a great career so far and he’s got great standards.”

From Manchester City’s perspective, James Trafford’s contribution has certainly not gone unnoticed, and Pep Guardiola has regularly highlighted the goalkeeper’s professionalism behind the scenes, as well as his shot-stopping quality.

Faith from his manager has been particularly evident of late and Manchester City’s Carabao Cup run, where Trafford played a key role en route to the final against Arsenal, including crucial outings against Newcastle United across two semi-final legs.

With the summer transfer window approaching, James Trafford’s future remains a topic of growing interest across the Premier League, and whether his next step involves continued competition at the Etihad Stadium or a new challenge elsewhere, the coming months are expected to be pivotal in shaping the next phase of his career.