The Curious Case of James Trafford: Every Goalkeeper's Worst Nightmare

The Curious Case of James Trafford: Every Goalkeeper's Worst Nightmare

Goalkeepers: Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. The loneliest position on the field. You have to be crazy to be a goalkeeper.

The position has had so many clichés created for it over the years that it is now seen as more of a position of public interest instead of an actual job. If they make a save? Striker could’ve finished better. If they concede a goal? He can’t be letting that in. An individual mistake? It’s no one else’s fault.

Goalkeepers are constantly under intense scrutiny - even in recent years, there have been a considerable number of high-profile shot-stopper sagas, such as Kepa Arrizabalaga’s rotten spell at Chelsea despite being the most expensive keeper ever, or Andre Onana’s well-publicised woes at Manchester United.

There is usually at least one example each and every season, and the 2025/26 campaign is no different. Despite showing so much promise on both the domestic and international stages, James Trafford’s Manchester City career looks set to finish when it has barely even started.

Earning The Spotlight

Trafford arrived at his boyhood club with big expectations after his £27 million move from Championship runners-up Burnley, and at the time, it was clear to see why.

🚨🔵 EXCLUSIVE: Manchester City agree deal to sign James Trafford as new goalkeeper, here we go!

Deal in place with Burnley under value of £40m buy back clause. Trafford said yes to Man City as Pep Guardiola wanted him.

Newcastle are also informed about Trafford’s decision. pic.twitter.com/UG4X3V2lsZ

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 25, 2025

The England U21 stopper had taken his game to another level over the course of the 2024/25 season, and was part of a Clarets side that conceded an incredible 16 goals across 46 Championship games, a remarkable defensive effort which saw the club break a host of defensive records.

Though incredibly, this remarkable defensive record and a tally of 100 points somehow did not seal them the title (which went to fellow centurions Leeds United), Trafford stood out as arguably their most important player, his 29 Championship clean sheets testament to how far he had come since relegation from the Premier League the season prior.

You shall not pass ❌

James Trafford and Burnley go into the record books 👏#BurnleyFC #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/yMmvqlZAoo

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 12, 2025

Trafford’s exploits for the England U21s also saw fans start to recognise his talent. At the U21 Euro 2023, held across Georgia and Romania, England cruised to the final, with Trafford vital to maintaining England’s run.

In the final, they faced Spain, and thanks to Curtis Jones's finish in first-half stoppage time, England held a lead right up until the 98th minute. However, a Levi Colwill foul handed Spain a lifeline in overtime, and Abel Ruiz faced off against Trafford from the penalty spot.

The Englishman guessed the right way, and showed superb goalkeeping instincts to immediately get back to his feet and brilliantly kick away the rebound with the last kick of the game.

His penalty-saving antics handed the England U21s their first major honour since the 1984 edition of the same tournament, and suddenly, social media was awash with clips of the final few moments of that final. The name James Trafford had started to mean something.

To follow up such a heralded international performance with the season he had last year was no mean feat, and people were quickly beginning to tip the Manchester lad as Jordan Pickford’s successor in the senior side.

James Trafford has been added to the @England squad for their final World Cup Qualifiers 🧤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

All the best, Traff 🩵 pic.twitter.com/4fHPcVWBPM

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 11, 2025

And his recognition shot through the roof when Man City, the club that let him go back in 2021, came knocking on Burnley’s door, and decided to give one of their own a chance to cement themselves between the sticks.

The Stuff of Nightmares

Acquired for just under £30 million, Trafford had finally been given a stage upon which he could prove himself to be one of Europe’s most promising young keepers.

Things started off well too, as he kept a clean sheet in City’s 4-0 demolition job of Wolves on the opening day. Although the 22-year-old didn’t have much to do, he was still forced into action three times, and in making a save on every occasion, he only further underlined the hype.

However, cracks started to appear in just his second game, this time against Tottenham. With the scores tied at 0-0, a long ball was lifted over the top for Mohammed Kudus to chase. One of the quickest players in the league, Kudus won the footrace ahead of Trafford, and though the Ghanaian touched the ball into Trafford, subsequently meaning the keeper won the ball, Trafford's knee exploded into his chest.

Though a VAR check did have a second look at the incident and deemed it fair play, the City stopper was very lucky to escape the challenge with a clean sheet and no card, as one or the other could well have happened.

🎙️ "That has stopped a goal scoring opportunity"

Former referee Dermot Gallagher and Jay Bothroyd disagree on the James Trafford's incident against Spurs. pic.twitter.com/xt4fGNs38u

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 25, 2025

However, the incident certainly shook his confidence, and soon enough, a lapse in judgement cost his side a level scoreline. Though there was nothing he could do about Brennan Johnson’s incisive opener, the second goal was entirely avoidable.

With the ball at his feet and looking to play out, Trafford spotted Nico Gonzalez looking as if he wanted the pass, and duly tried to find him. What he didn’t see was Spurs striker Richarlison hareing after him at top speed, but by the time he noticed, it was already too late.

Richarlison pinched it, let the ball run to Joao Palinha, and via the boot of the flailing Trafford, the Portuguese midfielder doubled his side's lead at the Etihad. Not a great way to mark your first start on home soil.

It was at this point in late August that Man City became increasingly interested in out-of-contract PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, a post protector English fans are all too familiar with (the Euro 2021 shootout still keeps me up at night).

—Seven games
—Three clean sheets
—Four goals conceded
—Nine saves
—Won two penalty shootouts
—Player of the tournament

He’s only 22, but what a #EURO2020 for Gianluigi Donnarumma 👏 pic.twitter.com/dI6RW7q89e

— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 12, 2021

Despite the very public interest in the Italian, Trafford did maintain his starting spot for City’s next game against, and, it must be said, went a long way towards repairing the damaged trust between himself and his fans.

Clawed off the line ❌

James Trafford picks up @CocaCola Save of the Month for August 🧤 pic.twitter.com/MB3vcWdC1t

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 12, 2025

He made a series of fine reaction saves and did his level best to keep his side in the lead, but a James Milner penalty equalised the game, and in the 89th minute, Brajan Gruda sat Trafford down, took the ball around him, and slotted it into an empty net, handing City their second defeat on the bounce.

There’s Competition … and Then There’s Donnarumma

In the time between the Brighton defeat and City’s next game against bitter rivals Manchester United, Donnarumma was officially signed by the club, and that could only mean one thing: the Italian immediately displaced his English counterpart.

Trafford has played two fixtures since Donnarumma’s arrival, and has been reliable in both, but these games came in the Carabao Cup against Huddersfield Town and Swansea City - not exactly end-game opposition.

Meanwhile, Donnarumma has been outstanding in goal - the Italian his pulled off a string of miraculous saves in his short stint at the Etihad, and though his playing out from the back leaves something to be desired, his shot-stopping abilities were always going to place higher on City’s priority list.

This Gianluigi Donnarumma save 😧 pic.twitter.com/xmzUkordtL

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 15, 2025

With a Serie A, Ligue 1 and European Championship-winning goalkeeper on your books, it would be foolish not to start him over a relatively unproven homegrown talent. However, many sympathise with Trafford's situation.

The now 23-year-old had only been given a three-game audition for his new club, and despite one of those games not being his best, he had performed admirably in the other two - there was no need to replace him so quickly.

Moreover, the calls for him to replace Pickford as England’s number one meant that the 2025/26 season presented the perfect opportunity for Trafford to stake his claim to a seat on the plane to the World Cup in July.

However, with just five competitive games in his locker by November, that spot is looking more and more up for grabs, with the likes of Newcastle’s Nick Pope and Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson virtually guaranteed to be picked ahead of the City man on current form and minutes.

Since October, it has been rumoured that Trafford wants to leave Man City in what is probably one of the shortest honeymoon periods in all of football, and in recent days, it has ironically emerged that Newcastle United are interested in picking up the out-of-favour stopper in January, despite already having two English keepers on their books in Pope and Arsenal loanee Aaron Ramsdale.

🚨 James Trafford’s departure from Manchester City already looks 'inevitable' given his ambitions aren't going to be met at the Etihad. 😳

(Source: @TyMarshall_MEN) pic.twitter.com/maBDg1b1up

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) November 13, 2025

It became clear pretty quickly that while Donnarumma is at the club, Trafford will not be required for large parts of the season, and for a young goalkeeper with international aspirations, the role of backup will not suit him in the slightest.

Trafford has to move in January if he is to give himself even the slimmest chance of making Thomas Tuchel’s final World Cup squad. The question is, after so long on the bench at a side that clearly doesn’t need him, how will his sharpness, fitness, and most importantly, confidence stand up to the increased game time and pressure he would receive at another club?