Former Newcastle United transfer target James Trafford has had a rather strange summer.
Indeed, Trafford at one point looked set to join Newcastle United from Burnley but ended up returning to Manchester City.
He’s since started the season as Pep Guardiola’s No.1, but it remains to be seen if that is a long-term plan. Indeed, Man City have been linked with a move for Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Trafford was at fault for one of Tottenham’s goals in their 2-0 win over Guardiola’s side on Saturday.
Newcastle have since signed Aaron Ramsdale, although have so far continued with Nick Pope in goal in their opening two Premier League games.
Now, Trafford is being linked with a shock move away from the Etihad giants.
James Trafford looks dejected while playing for Manchester City.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Besiktas want to sign James Trafford
According to Turkish outlet Politikam, Istanbul giants Besiktas are keen on a loan move for the 22-year-old.
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in charge of Besiktas and is keen to land the ex-Burnley stopper. It’s also claimed that a meeting has already taken place between Trafford’s agents and representatives of the Turkish club.
They suggest the move to take Trafford to the Turkish capital is in fact close.
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What Pep Guardiola has said about James Trafford at Man City
Trafford was convinced he was moving to Newcastle but eventually re-joined his former club – who sold him to Burnley in 2023 – after they activated a buy-back clause in their deal with the Clarets.
With that in mind, it’s surprising to read they could send him out on loan already.
Guardiola, after all, backed the England hopeful when speaking about Trafford’s mistake against Tottenham last weekend.
After the game, he said in a post-match press conference: “He made a good first game [vs Wolves] and I decided to continue.
“When I take decisions in the first part of the season – for all the players you play one or two [games] – everyone thinks: ‘OK, this is the starting lineup.’ It was just today I decided that.”
To suddenly make a U-turn now and let him develop elsewhere seems strange.