James Trafford has said that last season without regular minutes at Manchester City was "terrible" and that he had no choice but to leave the club to join Leeds United in the summer. The goalkeeper made the remarks in an interview with Football Daily's The Football Interview, as reported by the BBC.
City re-signed Trafford, a former academy graduate who had moved to then-Second Division side Burnley two years earlier, in July 2025. However, less than six weeks after his arrival from Paris St-Germain, 27-year-old Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma joined. The Italian had helped the French club win the Champions League a few weeks prior. Donnarumma immediately became City's first-choice goalkeeper, leaving Trafford with little room to play.
After starting the first three matches of the season, Trafford made just one more start in the following 35 Premier League games since Donnarumma's arrival. "What a terrible, terrible feeling. Not playing," said the 24-year-old goalkeeper. He said that many people called and simply mocked him, and that he called his father, mother, wife and friends. He emphasised that he had to play regularly this season for his own mental health because, as he put it, you simply lose yourself when you are not playing. He added that he had to play every week for that mental sense of well-being and to continue progressing in his career and getting closer to fulfilling his dream.
Despite limited league minutes, Trafford helped the club win the League Cup and the FA Cup as he started both finals at Wembley. "Unfortunately, we did not win all four trophies," he said. "It did not go as I expected, but it happens." He also reflected on the season as a whole: "Looking back, I do not think it was a disappointing season in the end because I learned so much, progressed so much and won two trophies in one year." He added that there were moments when he was very down, regretted things and felt disappointed, but that he is grateful for the experience in hindsight. "What an incredible year," he concluded.
Trafford was part of the England squad at the 2026 World Cup but did not get any minutes. He said that being part of Thomas Tuchel's team was an "incredible experience" that he would not forget. "I did not play, but that is how it is," he said. "I did not expect to play when I got the call-up. I knew what my role was."
Trafford hopes to one day be England's first-choice goalkeeper and believes that goal is entirely achievable if he continues with impressive performances at Leeds. "That is my goal and something I have always dreamed of," he said. "I always believe that I could be one day. I try to progress every day to put myself in the best position to be England's number one one day." He added that everyone in the national team's goalkeeper section wants to be number one because it is, as he said, an amazing position.
