Former Manchester City star Stuart Pearce believes the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma is a good thing for James Trafford.
Man City completed the signing of Donnarumma on deadline day, with the Italian shot-stopper replacing Ederson at the Etihad Stadium after the Brazilian decided to start a new chapter in his career with Fenerbahce.
The arrival of the Champions League winner has raised questions about what will happen to James Trafford, having just signed for Man City himself this summer.
The 22-year-old opted to move to the Etihad Stadium with the hope that it would help him become England’s number one ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and that looked good following the positive start he has made in Manchester, leaving out his error against Tottenham.
Trafford is likely to be disappointed about City’s latest signing, but Pearce has advised the young goalkeeper to use it as a positive.
James Trafford should be excited by Gianluigi Donnarumma challenge
Donnarumma is expected to be Man City’s number one when the Manchester club returns to action against Man United on September 14, when the Etihad crowd will get their first glimpse of their new goalkeeper.
Pearce thinks Trafford will be disappointed when that team sheet is read out by Guardiola ahead of the Manchester derby, but the former City star thinks the Englishman should use this opportunity to learn and develop as a goalkeeper.
“He’ll probably be a little bit disappointed, but you know, you’ve got a top goalkeeper there, Donnarumma as well,” Pearce said on talkSPORT when asked about how Trafford may be feeling following the arrival of Donnarumma.
“If I were advising him, I would say, ‘Look at the age you are at the moment. See this as a positive if Donnarumma comes in. You’ve got competition, so you’ve got to up your game, and also you’ve got two great role models that have been around the block to learn from over the next year or so’.
“So I would use it as a positive rather than a negative if I were him.”
Both goalkeepers had a great season last time around, and when it comes to the position as a whole, Guardiola currently has two incredible options to choose from.
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How James Trafford compares to Gianluigi Donnarumma
Trafford and Donnarumma are different goalkeepers, with the Englishman being a well-rounded shot stopper. He is composed with the ball at his feet and can pull off big saves, which was evident against Brighton. The one thing the 22-year-old does lack is experience at the top level of football.
While the Italian is incredible on his line, he struggles to deal with crosses and it is well-known that he is not comfortable with the ball at his feet, which has left people questioning why Man City have signed Donnarumma.
| Player | Games | Goals Conceded | Clean Sheets | Minutes |
| James Trafford | 45 | 16 | 29 | 4050 |
| Gianluigi Donnarumma | 47 | 43 | 17 | 4192 |
Both goalkeepers had incredible seasons last time around, and as a result, there is a case to be made that Guardiola now has the best goalkeeper pairing in world football.
It will be interesting to see how the legendary coach manages this situation over the coming months, as it is one Trafford will not be happy with if he is not getting minutes.
