Goalkeeper was pushed down the pecking order by Gianluigi Donnarumma and has hinted at a move away
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that the door is open for James Trafford to leave Manchester City in the summer.
Trafford, who returned to City last summer after a spell at Burnley, has found himself behind Gianluigi Donnarumma in the pecking order this season. The 23-year-old recently admitted he had not expected that situation and hinted he could be looking for a way out in the close season.
Guardiola said Trafford would start the League Cup final against Arsenal on Sunday but avoided giving any guarantees about the goalkeeper’s future beyond this term.
“Players can be happy, unhappy,” Guardiola said. “It is what it is. They have to be here to do the best they can do and after we will see what happens at the end of the season. The important thing is they have to be ready.”
After the final, City have three top league games against Liverpool, Chelsea and then Arsenal again in a row, fixtures that will be immediately decisive with respect to the title race. Guardiola would not be drawn on whether a cup final victory for City would give them some advantage heading into those games.
“I don’t know,” the City boss said. “Of course winning helps just for the fact that winning helps. We can win on Sunday and then be bad in the league. I learned that in many competitions and many games with a short time of recovery you have to have the ability to forget and move forwards.”
