Having already said farewell to Kevin De Bruyne at the end of last season, Manchester City are now reportedly at risk of losing another top star amid reports that he has agreed a big-money contract with another club.
James Trafford: Rejoining Man City a "special" moment
Of course, as exit rumours continue to arrive, Manchester City have also been busy on the incomings front. Taking their list of signings up to six for the summer, the Citizens recently welcomed the return of James Trafford after hijacking Newcastle United’s deal to sign the England international for around £27m.
After sealing his return to The Etihad just two years on from leaving for Burnley, Trafford told City’s official website: “Rejoining City is such special and proud moment both for me and my family.
“I always dreamed that one day I would be able to come back to Manchester City. This is the place I call home – it’s a truly special football club with fantastic people who make it such a unique place to work and play.
“I am also so very excited and honoured to have been given the opportunity to work under Pep and with such a world-class group of players. I am still very young and hungry to keep learning and improving – and I know there is no better environment than Manchester City to help make me become the best goalkeeper I can be.
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“I also cannot wait to play in front of the amazing City fans for the first time and will do everything I can to help this great club look to achieve even more success.”
Whilst some may naturally assume that Trafford is arriving to provide backup for Ederson under Pep Guardiola, recent reports suggest that may not be the case.
Ederson agrees £13m-a-year Galatasaray deal
As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Ederson has now agreed a deal to sign for Galatasaray which will see him earn around £13m-a-year. All that is left for the Turkish club to do, based on those reports, is strike a deal with Man City. Whether the Citizens will open the door for their Brazilian to leave remains to be seen, though.
Although Trafford’s arrival would ease any exit blow caused by Ederson, there remain question marks over just how ready Trafford is to step up at The Etihad. It would be just his second season as a starter in the Premier League, having previously been relegated with Burnley, and that could see City suffer as they aim to reclaim their English crown one year after conceding it to champions Liverpool.
“I said many times how many years we are together, the success we had, without him I cannot visualise, I cannot.
“He made two incredible saves. Stefan is the best I have seen in one-v-one and working with him I am pretty sure Eddy gets it. We have Xabi [Mancisidor] and Richard [Wright], they are unbelievable coaches.”
Trafford wouldn’t be replacing just any goalkeeper, either. Ederson is one of the best in Premier League history, especially in possession, and has earned the admiration of Guardiola as a result.