Manchester City insiders reveal James Trafford versus Gianluigi Donnarumma stance

Insiders at the Etihad Stadium have offered their feelings around both Gianluigi Donnarumma and James Trafford as Manchester City’s leading goalkeeping options.

Manchester City completed the marquee signing of Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain for a reported fee of £26 million on the final day of a topsy-turvy transfer window that has witnessed a massive overhaul of the club’s goalkeeping department.

With veteran third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson released in June, City recruited Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea to launch what would be the busiest transfer window the club has witnessed since 2017.

James Trafford completed a full-circle return to the Etihad Stadium in July for £27 million after two seasons at Burnley, with the 22-year-old arriving to his boyhood club to challenge for the number one goalkeeper spot amid doubts over Ederson’s future and prospects.

As Ederson appeared increasingly likely to complete a move to Turkey in the final weeks of the window – amid interest from Galatasaray and later Fenerbahce – Manchester City identified Donnarumma as a capable replacement for the long-serving 31-year-old, agreeing personal terms to bring the former AC Milan man to England.

A resolution on Ederson’s future was not reached by the weekend, with the six-time Premier League winner travelling with the Manchester City squad to Brighton and retaining his spot on the bench in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at the Amex Stadium.

However, Fenerbahce reached an agreement to sign Ederson on Monday and the Brazilian was given permission to fly to Turkey and complete a transfer, which set Manchester City’s Donnarumma domino in motion – as had been the plan since the beginning.

Donnarumma completed a medical in Italy – where he is taking part in the Italy National Team camp – and the 26-year-old’s Manchester City move was made official on Tuesday, with Manchester City also retaining the services of Stefan Ortega Moreno.

Interestingly, Manchester City have named all four goalkeepers at their disposal in their 23-man UEFA Champions League List-A squad, with questions looming over what Guardiola’s goalkeeping pecking order will look like as the season progresses.

As reported by BBC Sport’s Shamoon Hafez, sources state that Donnarumma brings a ‘winning mentality and leadership’ to a Manchester City squad that has lost all of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish from the dressing room in recent months.

It is further revealed that club insiders feel Trafford has age on his side and has an “amazing” future at the club, while the idea that Guardiola suddenly does not rate the 22-year-old and as a result has turned to Donnarumma in the market is wrong.

Donnarumma brings a strong CV with him upon his arrival to the Etihad Stadium and it would not come as a surprise if the Italian is named in goal for Manchester City’s upcoming run of games against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal.