Former England defender weighs in on James Trafford debate amid potential Gianluigi Donnarumma transfer | OneFootball

Former Arsenal and England defender Lee Dixon has offered his thoughts on the potential arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma at Manchester City in the coming weeks following James Trafford’s return to the club.

Trafford completed a full-circle £27 million return to his boyhood club in the summer after two seasons at Burnley, with the England U-21 international keeping a clean sheet on his first senior appearance for Manchester City against Wolves at the weekend.

City have overhauled their goalkeeping department in this window, replacing departed third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson with Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea, with current number two Stefan Ortega Moreno expected to leave before the September 1 transfer deadline.

Ederson has attracted strong interest from Galatasaray and negotiations continue between the Turkish side and the Etihad Stadium faithful, who have turned down an initial €10 million bid for the 31-year-old Brazil international made last week.

Should Ederson complete a desired transfer to Galatasaray in the final weeks of the summer transfer window, Manchester City will step up their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has accepted a contract proposal from the Etihad Stadium and is ready to join forces with Pep Guardiola.

Speaking in a new interview with 10bet, former Arsenal and England defender Lee Dixon has been quizzed for his thoughts on Trafford might be feeling amid ongoing talk of a potential arrival at the club in Donnarumma.

“It’s a funny one, isn’t it? I mean I’d love to have been a fly on the wall at the talks that convinced Trafford to go back to City and understand how Pep (Guardiola) pitched his role for the forthcoming season,” Dixon said.

“On the one hand, you wonder what is he (Trafford) doing because he had the option of Newcastle and the number one jersey, but in his mind, Trafford will have probably felt like he had unfinished business at the club (Manchester City) – and he’s earned the opportunity to sign for them again because of what he’s done at Burnley.

“He (Trafford) left (Manchester City in 2023), established himself (at Burnley) and I suspect that when Pep Guardiola picks up the phone – one of the best coaches in the world – then you’ve got to go all-in and go back. We don’t know what’s happening with Ederson. He might be going to Galatasaray.

“I can’t see them both staying if they sign Donnarumma. If another keeper comes in, Trafford’s still in the same position as he was in a sense that he will be competing for the jersey with a top, top player.

“What I would say is that he (Trafford) has been signed for the future, he’s still a baby in goalie years at 22 so he might have to go, ‘Do you know what? I’ve got to bite my lip a little bit for another season or two and wait for my chance.’ But doing that knowing that he (Trafford) will get the spot in the long term.

“If Donnarumma does go there (to Manchester City), he’s probably the best keeper in the world at this moment in time. How much would Trafford learn from him and everything else, training with him every day. And he’ll be kicking him in training, trying to injure him to get an opening in the team (laughs).”