Premier League giants emerge as favourites to sign Manchester City goalkeeper | OneFootball

Newcastle United have emerged as favourites to sign James Trafford from Manchester City after the goalkeeper made it clear he is not prepared to spend another season as second choice to Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The England international, who played only four Premier League matches for City in the most-recent season, is currently with Thomas Tuchel’s side ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Trafford earned his England call-up alongside Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson and has spent time acclimatising to the scorching conditions in the United States, where temperatures have peaked at over 34C. 

Having made his senior England debut against Uruguay in March 2026, James Trafford is yet to establish himself on the international stage, but could well find a way through the door this summer if selection and performances are on his side. 

The 23-year-old will only grow a deeper desire for regular club football if he is to walk away from his first FIFA World Cup better off, with his pre-existing ambition being to play more having already promoted doubts over his future at the Etihad Stadium.

Trafford’s future becomes clearer with Premier League interest

Now, according to TEAMtalk, James Trafford’s representatives have held talks with the club’s sporting director Hugo Viana, stating that the shot-stopper is determined to play week-in, week-out and is unwilling to spend another year as a back-up. 

The goalkeeper returned to East Manchester last summer in a £30 million deal from Burnley and initially believed he would have a genuine opportunity to become Manchester City’s long-term No.1 and successor of Ederson.

However, those plans were altered dramatically on deadline day last summer, when City were offered the chance to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain, and so Trafford was left as predominantly the goalkeeper for cup competitions.

Trafford’s stand-out moments back at Manchester City

Not that there was little success for Trafford, having ultimately been the one to help Pep Guardiola win two trophies – the Carabao Cup and FA Cup – in his final season of 10 years at the club. 

Trafford performed excellently throughout both tournaments, most notably pulling off a triple save at Wembley Stadium against Arsenal in a game that Manchester City eventually won thanks to a Nico O’Reilly double in the second-half.

At present, the general consensus is that James Trafford is well within his rights to move clubs if he feels nothing will change when Enzo Maresca is appointed as Pep Guardiola’s successor in the coming days. 

And those exceptional performances at the back end of the 2025/26 campaign only strengthened Newcastle’s desire to have him at St James’ Park ahead of next season under Eddie Howe.