Credit: Imago

James Barker

Tue 21 April 2026 19:40, UK

James Trafford is reportedly “open” to leaving Manchester City this summer, with the West Ham United-linked goalkeeper understood to want regular football.

Trafford only re-signed for Man City from Burnley in this season’s summer transfer window, in a record deal for a British goalkeeper worth a reported fee of up to £31million.

He moved back to the Etihad after a superb season in the Championship with the Clarets, where he kept 29 clean sheets in 45 second tier games on the way to Burnley’s Premier League promotion.

The 23-year-old looked set to be City’s new number one goalkeeper, but that was until Gianluigi Donnarumma signed from Paris Saint-Germain, changing the shot-stopping landscape there completely.

So, with the summer transfer window now just a matter of weeks away, players around the Premier League who aren’t getting the minutes they want will already be putting plans in place for a potential exit.

What’s the latest on a possible James Trafford Man City exit?

Trafford has been strongly linked with West Ham in recent times, with the England international one of the most highly-rated young goalkeepers in European football.

His rumoured frustrations at Man City are understandable too, given he’s seen his big chance of establishing himself as a Premier League goalkeeper this season snatched away from him.

And with Donnarumma probably not for budging in the Etihad pecking order anytime soon, that could be his realistic chance of becoming Man City’s starting shot-stopper gone for good.

However, at 23 and clearly deserving of an extended opportunity to play at the top level, Trafford surely isn’t going to just sit on his hands and be content with a backup role for the foreseeable future.

A fresh report from Germany-based Sky reporter Florian Plettenberg via X on Tuesday evening also strongly suggests that’s his current state of mind too.

Writing to his X account, Plettenberg said: “James Trafford is open to leaving Manchester City this summer in order to play regularly.”

However, he continues by claiming that City would ideally like to keep him, but that he’s a “dream” target for Brighton if Bart Verbruggen was to leave the AMEX, whilst several other Premier League sides are also keen.

Mads Hermansen complicates any West Ham move for Trafford

West Ham’s interest in Trafford was reported in this season’s summer transfer window, but with City eventually capturing his signature, the Hammers had to look elsewhere.

They eventually found Mads Hermansen from Leicester City, but after some shaky performances to open the season, Alphonse Areola took the starting gloves from the Danish international.

But, the form there has now reversed itself, with Areola struggling before Hermansen reclaimed the starting role between the sticks from early February onwards.

The 25-year-old hasn’t really looked back since, putting in quality display after quality display, and looking every bit of West Ham’s long-term answer at the goalkeeper position.

So, should Trafford indeed hit the market this summer, and if West Ham are still in the top flight (which they probably would have to be in order to sign Trafford), then it would be fascinating to see what they do.

Trafford is a big name with big potential, but Hermansen is only young for goalkeeper too, and bringing in another serious rival for his starting job could risk derailing all his good progress over recent months.