Pep Guardiola expresses James Trafford doubts amid Gianluigi Donnarumma pursuit | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has explained the club’s process of selecting their first-choice goalkeeper for the 2025-26 campaign.

City have overhauled their goalkeeping department already this summer, with newly-appointed director of football Hugo Viana spearheading the acquisitions of Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea and James Trafford from Burnley for £27 million.

Bettinelli has replaced the departed Scott Carson as third-choice goalkeeper, with Trafford returning to the Etihad Stadium two years on from leaving his boyhood club for regular playing opportunities at Burnley.

However, the final days of the transfer window are set to witness further upheaval within Manchester City’s goalkeeping department, with Ederson keen on joining Galatasaray and Stefan Ortega Moreno expected to complete a permanent move as well.

Having failed to engineer a transfer to Saudi Arabia last summer, Ederson is believed to be keen on a new challenge after eight seasons in England, with the 31-year-old entering the final year of his current Manchester City contract.

Manchester City do not wish to sell the Brazil international but would sanction a sale should Ederson express a desire to leave in the final days of the window – and Galatasaray table an offer that matches the club’s valuation of the former Benfica man.

Galatasaray have seen an opening €10 million bid for Ederson rejected at the Etihad Stadium as negotiations continue between all parties to facilitate a move that could put a domino in motion and progress Manchester City’s pursuit of Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has agreed to join City after falling out of favour at Paris Saint-Germain.

However, first things first and Guardiola will focussing all his attention on City’s upcoming trip to Brighton, with doubts over whether Trafford will retain his place in net after a horror performance in last week’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham.

Speaking to the press on Friday, Guardiola was quizzed on which of his goalkeepers will start in goal at the Amex Stadium on Sunday. “Tomorrow (it will be decided); because I don’t have a press conference tomorrow,” said Guardiola in cheeky fashion.

On whether he expects further exits from his goalkeeping department before the September 1 transfer deadline, the Manchester City manager added: “Listen, in this part of the season, in all the clubs before the international break and until transfer window is closed, everything is possible.

“It’s as simple as that. After that, when it happens and we’re going to play (Manchester) United, and Champions League, and Arsenal, all these games, after everything will be more clear and I will take a decision; it depends on the performance, it depends on many reasons.”

On whether he would have liked the goalkeeper situation ‘clear’ before the start of the season, Guardiola said: “But not just the keepers, there are players. So we have a long squad and all the players have maybe signings, maybe people are to leave, but it is what it is – until the transfer window is in that way, we have to accept it.”