Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, looks on prior to the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg match between Manchester City and Newcastle United at Etihad Stadium on February 04, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)placeholder image
Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, looks on prior to the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg match between Manchester City and Newcastle United at Etihad Stadium on February 04, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of Man City’s players could leave the club in the summer as Leeds United are reportedly keen.
Man City’s transfer business this season has been excellent; they’ve managed to strengthen Pep Guardiola’s side in all areas. They signed the likes of Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki and more, and are embroiled in a battle for the Premier League title.
City are currently four points behind league leaders Arsenal, who face Wolves on Wednesday night, and hope that the Gunners slip up to give them the best chance of catching up.
One of Guardiola’s players who will be key during the run-in is goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, whom City managed to pinch in the summer transfer window. However, it put James Trafford’s future into doubt.
Man City reveal Trafford transfer stance to Leeds United
James Trafford joined Man City in the summer for £27m from Burnley, as City had a buy-back clause on the young goalkeeper. However, as Man City signed Donnarumma, Trafford has become a backup, which was not likely to be what he expected when he returned to the Etihad in the early part of the summer.
The English goalkeeper has made just three Premier League appearances this season, and has instead been appearing in the cup competitions. Seeing as Donnarumma is just 26, it may be a long time before Trafford becomes the number one at the Etihad, assuming that he will do at all.
As a result, exit rumours have surfaced for the summer, and it is understood that Leeds United is interested in Trafford. Previous reports said they could offer around £30m for him, but according to a fresh report by TeamTalk, Man City would only sanction an exit on loan, as they want to keep hold of the 23-year-old. They have no intention of cashing in on Trafford yet, which makes you question their long-term plan for the former Burnley keeper.
Trafford makes a major exit hint
Amid the current uncertainty of Trafford’s position at Man City, the goalkeeper himself provided somewhat of a telling transfer hint, as he claimed that life at the Etihad wasn’t what he expected when he first agreed to re-join the club in the summer.
He spoke to BBC Sport after Man City’s 2-0 win over Salford City in the FA Cup last week, and revealed that he didn’t expect his current role when he first joined Man City in the summer. He said, “It wasn’t what I expected coming into the season.
“I tried to guard against it. It’s the reality, and I have to give it my best shot. We train every day, but making saves, it’s good fun.”
Trafford has made a total of 11 appearances for Manchester City this season, with three of them in the Premier League, five in the Carabao Cup, two in the FA Cup, and just one in the Champions League. He’s conceded nine goals in those 11 games, keeping five clean sheets.
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