Pep Guardiola is uncertain if James Trafford will still be a Manchester City player next season.
The 23-year-old academy graduate looked set to become City’s first-choice goalkeeper when he rejoined the club for £27million from Burnley last summer and immediately replaced Ederson.
He started the first three Premier League games of the season but then lost his place after City opportunistically swooped for Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had fallen out with Paris St Germain, on transfer deadline day.
The European Under-21 Championship winner has since had to settle for four appearances in domestic cup competitions and one Champions League outing against Bayer Leverkusen when Guardiola made 10 changes.
Although he is set for another run-out in the first leg of City’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Tuesday, it has so far not been a fairy tale return to City.
Guardiola says the player has handled the situation well but accepts he may want to rethink his future plans.
The City manager said: “He’s reacted really well. There’s been no complaints. James is a top keeper, there’s no doubt about that.
“I don’t feel bad but I understand the situation. The situation of the keeper is completely special, right? Because you play one or the other one.
“It’s not like some players you can play in different positions.
“What I say is we count on him, we want him but what’s going to happen at the end of the season we will see.”
City have ruled out any possibility that Trafford – who turned down Newcastle last summer – might leave the club on loan during the current transfer window.
Guardiola said: “I would like him to stay for many, many, many years here because he has attributes to play in a club like us, but the situation of the keepers is special, it’s different, and we’ll see what happens at the end of the season.”
Remarkably, the prolific Erling Haaland was not among the goalscorers as City thrashed League One side Exeter 10-1 in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
The Norwegian has scored 26 goals for City this season but only one – a penalty – in his last five appearances.
Guardiola could have rested him at the weekend but still feels his first-half appearance was the best preparation for Newcastle.
He said: “I preferred him to play 45 minutes – it didn’t really matter about the result. He trained the day after. Erling is a guy who needs rhythm and that’s why.
“He’s had a lot of chances and that’s what we have to do – try to create chances for him and then in the right moment always he will be there.”
