Wayne Rooney has advised Chelsea-linked Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford to depart the club after impressing within the Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal.
Eyebrows were raised when each Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta confirmed that cup goalkeepers Trafford and Kepa Arrizabalaga could be starting at Wembley on Sunday.
The choice backfired on Arteta, who watched on as ex-Chelsea shot-stopper Arrizabalaga made a poor error to gift Nico O’Reilly the opener after a cagey first half.
O’Reilly scored again soon after to secure Man City the primary piece of silverware of the season and deny Arsenal a primary major trophy since 2020.
While Arrizabalaga had one other afternoon to forget at Wembley, Trafford justified his inclusion by helping City keep a clean sheet, with an early save to disclaim Kai Havertz his biggest contribution.
Manchester City signed Trafford from promoted Championship club Burnley last summer with the intention of constructing the 23-year-old the No. 1 ahead of Ederson’s departure.
But Man City couldn’t turn down the chance to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma later within the window and the Italian quickly displaced Trafford as Guardiola’s first-choice goalkeeper.
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Trafford has due to this fact been heavily linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium ahead of the summer transfer window and Rooney believes that might be the perfect end result for all parties.
‘We’ve all known the potential he has and he’s got a giant future in front of him,’ the previous Manchester United and England captain said on his BBC podcast.
‘But I still haven’t seen enough of him at the highest level to completely judge him. I believe it’s going to be difficult now, obviously, with Donnarumma at Man City.
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‘It looks like probably the only way for him to get that have and go and play is to maneuver club. Unless he’s really patient and waits around.’
Asked whether joining Man City was the ‘unsuitable move’ for Trafford, Rooney added: ‘On the time probably not, but then Man City signed Donnarumma.
‘He should have been gutted. It looked the Donnarumma deal was quite quick in the way in which it played out.
‘I’d imagine all of Trafford’s negotiations and talks were about how he was going to take over from Ederson. After which Donnarumma signs.
‘But from City’s point of view if someone of Donnarumma’s quality becomes available, you’ve got to be able to go and get him and Man City did that.’
Trafford has been linked with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United during a frustrating season at Manchester City.
Chelsea made an enquiry for Trafford last summer and are expected to sign a brand new goalkeeper in the summertime following Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen’s poor form.
Ex-Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has previously talked up a move for Trafford, while Jamie Carragher has said neither Sanchez or Jorgensen are adequate to be the No. 1 at Stamford Bridge.
‘I’ve been critical of Chelsea for a very long time, but I’m being deadly serious, they’ll’t go any further until they sort the goalkeeping issue out,’ Carragher said after Chelsea lost to PSG within the Champions League.
‘That has been a difficulty and can proceed to be a difficulty for any Chelsea manager going forward after they’re attempting to win the Premier League and Champions League because they’re one million miles off it.’
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