Pep Guardiola admits James Trafford is pipping Gianluigi Donnarumma in Manchester City training | OneFootball

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed that James Trafford is a step ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma in training as the Catalan compared his new goalkeeping signings.

Guardiola overhauled his goalkeeping department in the recent transfer window as Manchester City’s newly-appointed director of football Hugo Viana sanctioned the return of Trafford to the Etihad Stadium for £27 million – two years after the 22-year-old left City to join Burnley.

City also won the deal of the window as they secured the arrival of Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain for a cut-price £26 million on the final day of the transfer window, with Ederson allowed to complete a £12.1 million transfer to Fenerbahce.

Having spent eight illustrious seasons at the Etihad Stadium, Ederson wanted a new challenge amid widespread interest from clubs across Europe and Asia, as Manchester City also bid farewell to Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan and Scott Carson.

After starting Manchester City’s opening three Premier League games, Trafford has been dropped to the bench after Donnarumma’s arrival, with the Italy international quickly settling to life at the Etihad Stadium and making a very strong early impression.

The 26-year-old is being widely acclaimed as Viana’s best bit of transfer business in his first window as Manchester City’s director of football, making a noticeable difference on the pitch and behind the scenes in a new-look dressing room that has undergone a major personnel shuffle over the summer.

Guardiola has been full of praise for Donnarumma but has doubled down on his faith in Trafford – who has struggled for minutes since August – and paid tribute to the standards set by long-serving goalkeeper Ederson over eight years at the club.

Speaking after Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday, Guardiola said: “Never, ever if I make a compliment to Donnarumma is it to disrespect the most important goalkeeper that we had maybe in this club,” as quoted by the club’s official website.

“Ederson has been so important in the build-ups and give us great momentum. But Gigio (Donnarumma) is taller, like Erling (Haaland) is taller than Sergio (Aguero). The long balls, his presence gives us a boost.

“With Trafford, I see the training sessions and for a long time I haven’t seen a goalkeeper as good as James. We have two incredible keepers. Gigio (Donnarumma) for experience – even though he’s just 26 – because he started playing with Milan at 17.

“He (Donnarumma) has won the European Cup (UEFA Champions League with PSG last season). Of course, he’s a really good keeper and I’m happy for him. Since I have been here, always I have had really good keepers.”

Donnarumma has kept a shoutout in his last two starts and is expected to maintain his place between the sticks when Manchester City play Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League group-phase on Tuesday evening.