Newcastle interested in James Trafford after contentious Manchester City future comments | OneFootball

Manchester City’s back-up goalkeeper James Trafford could be handed a way out of the club by a previous prominent suitor for his signature, it has been reported.

Trafford has caused a stir amongst the Manchester City fanbase after expressing a tint of frustration over a lack of minutes at the Etihad Stadium upon a return to his boyhood club from Burnley last summer.

The England international re-joined City for £27 million in July 2025 to challenge for the first-choice goalkeeping position under Pep Guardiola as Ederson’s future at the club remained uncertain heading into the final month of the summer transfer window.

Despite starting each of City’s first three Premier League games of the season, Trafford has not played a single minute in the league since after club bosses decided to bring Gianluigi Donnarumma in from Paris Saint-Germain for a mouth-watering £26 million on deadline day.

Trafford has made his feelings clear over how he feels over minutes being difficult to come by as he competes with Donnarumma, who has established his status as Manchester City’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper this season.

City were aware that Trafford was open to leaving the club in January to push for regular starts elsewhere to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s thinking ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

However, Guardiola blocked a move as he considers the 23-year-old part of his plans for the second half of the season, with City still in the running for silverware in all four competitions – having progressed to the Carabao Cup final, FA Cup fifth round and the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

In conversation with BBC Sport after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Salford City in the FA Cup, Trafford admitted that things haven’t unraveled like he’d hoped when he decided to return to his youth club after two successful seasons at Turf Moor – and that he will make a decision on his future come the end of the season.

Newcastle United are amongst a number of clubs in England who expressed an interest in Trafford in January and with the Manchester City academy graduate unsatisfied with his club situation, a summer exit seems inevitable as things stand.

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, while Trafford was wanted by Newcastle United prior to returning to Manchester City last summer, the England international remains high on the Magpies’ transfer wish-list.

Eddie Howe will face competition from the likes of Leeds United and Aston Villa for Trafford, who will be allowed to leave Manchester City at the end of the season should he express a desire to do so and should a suitor club meet the Blues’ asking price.

It will be a sad ending for the Carlisle-born star at City but very few would argue against the Blues’ eleventh hour acquisition of Donnarumma last summer, given the impact the Italy captain has since had at the Etihad Stadium.