Pep Guardiola has confirmed that James Trafford will remain at Manchester City in January, despite speculation about his departure. Trafford joined City in July 2025 on a five-year contract and initially
played three consecutive Premier League matches. However, Gianluigi Donnarumma's arrival from Paris Saint-Germain has limited Trafford's playing time.
Guardiola is optimistic about Trafford's future at the club. "Absolutely [he will stay]," Guardiola stated. "He's an incredible keeper. Unfortunately for him, Gianluigi is the first-choice keeper, but he is an incredible keeper. " Guardiola emphasised the unique nature of the goalkeeper position and expressed confidence that Trafford would continue with the team this season.
Trafford is expected to feature in City's EFL Cup quarter-final match on Wednesday. Despite rumours linking him with a move away from Etihad Stadium next month, Guardiola believes Trafford will remain part of his squad for the rest of the season. The manager acknowledged the importance of having a reliable goalkeeper and hinted at potential changes in future line-ups.
City are eager to secure their first EFL Cup victory since the 2020-21 season after experiencing only their second trophyless campaign under Guardiola last year. The team plans to make several changes for their midweek fixture but aims to avoid repeating mistakes made during their Champions League loss to Bayer Leverkusen, where they suffered a 2-0 defeat after making ten changes.
Guardiola faces challenges with key players missing due to various reasons. Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri are participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, while Jeremy Doku is sidelined with an injury. Doku missed City's recent Premier League victory over Crystal Palace, and Guardiola indicated that he might be unavailable until next year.
The manager explained, "I don't know [a timeframe]; two or three weeks maybe. " He added that Doku could potentially return around New Year or for the Sunderland match. This situation requires careful management of player fitness and rotation as City navigates a busy schedule.
Upcoming Fixtures and Priorities
City's upcoming fixtures include a crucial match against West Ham on Saturday, followed by a week-long recovery period before facing Nottingham Forest away. Guardiola stressed the significance of prioritising key games while managing player workloads effectively.
Carabao Cup action at home awaits #AsahiSuperDry https://t.co/pwYjjCs5U0 pic.twitter.com/XxPtGmJsyh
- Manchester City (@ManCity) December 16, 2025
The manager highlighted lessons learned from previous matches, noting the need for leadership on the pitch. "There are players where it is not about their quality; it is about how they lead," he said. Guardiola aims to find a balance between experienced leaders and younger talents as they prepare for upcoming challenges.
