Manchester City are once again linked with a young goalkeeper as they plan for the future | OneFootball

It would appear that James Trafford will depart Manchester City at some stage this summer. Trafford spent the majority of the 2025-26 season as a backup to Gianluigi Donnarumma. The England international is far too good and far too ambitious to want to spend another season fighting Donnarumma for the number-one goalkeeper role at City. If Trafford were to leave City, as expected, they will be in the market for a backup keeper. Finding a keeper who would be willing to be the backup isn’t an easy task. However, there is merit to City signing a young goalkeeper to fulfill this role.

One keeper who could potentially come in at Manchester City and learn from Gianluigi Donnarumma and play in cup games is Sheffield Wednesday keeper Pierce Charles. A new report indicates that Charles is a City transfer target in a move that does seem realistic from a City point of view.

Manchester City could face competition to sign Pierce Charles.

Alex Crook has reported for TalkSport that Manchester City are exploring the possibility of bringing Pierce Charles back to the club. The Northern Ireland international had a brief spell in City’s youth system before moving to Sheffield Wednesday. Furthermore, Crook reports that Rangers are also interested in signing the promising young goalkeeper. It is expected that Pierce Charles will leave Sheffield Wednesday this summer following their relegation to League One.

Pierce Charles does seem to be a safe bet to come in and be Gianluigi Donnarumma’s understudy.

Working off the assumption that James Trafford will leave Manchester City this summer there are two routes that City could go down to find a backup keeper to Gianluigi Donnarumma. They could go down the route of a Stefan Ortega type of signing. An experienced keeper who is reliable when called upon. That is one route that City can explore. The other is to find a young goalkeeper who would be happy to learn from Donnarumma and play in Manchester City’s cup games. Pierce Charles fits that bill.

Pierce Charles is only 20 years of age and has shown his quality at Sheffield Wednesday. Charles is a good shot-stopper and proficient with his feet. If and when Enzo Maresca is announced as City manager, having a keeper who can help his team build up from the back is vital. Charles can definitely do this, and he seems ready for a move to a big club. Whether or not he’d be happy to be a backup keeper at City isn’t known as of yet. But at 20 years of age, he could do an apprenticeship of sorts at City and see where that takes him.

Manchester City are reportedly exploring the possibility of signing Pierce Charles in preparation for James Trafford leaving the club this summer. It is a move that has merit if it is a route that City go down this summer.