Trafford Left Man City for His Wellbeing After One Start in 35

• James Trafford, 24, says a season on the fringes of Pep Guardiola’s squad at Manchester City was “horrendous”, per BBC Sport.
• After three starts at the opening of last season, he made one more Premier League start in the 35 games that followed Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival.
• He moved to Leeds United in the summer in search of first-team football and wants to be England’s number one.

Two Wembley Finals, a Season Spent Waiting, and a Move for His Mind

“What a horrendous, horrendous feeling. Not playing,” said Trafford.

The goalkeeper spoke about last season on Football Daily’s The Football Interview. He spent the year on the fringes of Guardiola’s squad, won two trophies, and then moved to Leeds in the summer in search of first-team football. His reason for going, in his own words, was his mental wellbeing.

How a Homecoming Turned Into a Bench Seat

City re-signed Trafford, an academy graduate, in July 2025. He had left the club two years earlier to join Championship side Burnley.

Less than six weeks later, Donnarumma joined from Paris St-Germain. The 27-year-old Italy international had helped the French club win the Champions League just weeks earlier, and he immediately became City’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Trafford had started the first three matches of the campaign. After Donnarumma’s arrival, he made one more Premier League start in the 35 games that followed.

Trafford describes how he dealt with the frustration.

“You are ringing a lot of people and just venting. Like most people, you have a [bad] day at work and you ring someone up.”

He went on: “I ring my dad, I ring my mum, I ring my missus, I ring my mates. I like ringing my mates and we can just have a good talk about it all. It’s quite funny.”

“You Just Lose Yourself Not Playing”

Trafford is clear about why he left.

“I had to play regularly this season for my own mental wellbeing. You just lose yourself not playing.”

He is not sure whether other players feel the same way.

“Maybe I’m different, I don’t know, but the feeling of not playing every week, it felt horrendous.”

He ties that feeling to his career too.

“I just had to play every week this season for that mental feel-good and to keep progressing with my career and edging me closer to achieving the dreams I want to achieve.”

Two Trophies and No Regrets

Trafford does not look back on the year as a write-off. He started the League Cup final and the FA Cup final at Wembley, and City won both. He admits the season fell short of what he pictured when it began.

“Going into any season, I always have the highest of hopes and always the belief that it will go the best way it could,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t win all four trophies. It didn’t go how I expected it to go, but it happens.”

He sees the year differently now.

“In the moment, I just tried to make the best of it as I could. Looking back, I don’t think it was a disappointing season in the end because I learned so much, I improved so much and I won two trophies in one year.”

He also remembers the low points.

“There were moments when I was very down, regretting things and feeling disappointed, but looking back, I’m very thankful for the experience. What an incredible year.”

The Next Target Is England’s Number One

Trafford was part of England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup under Thomas Tuchel. He did not get any game time, and he describes being in the group as an “incredible experience” that he will not forget.

“I didn’t play, but it is what it is,” said Trafford. “I didn’t expect to play when I got called up. I knew what my role was, but you just take as much experience as possible, learn from it and keep trying to win the day, because the more days you win, the better position you’re in.”

Next time around, he hopes to be the starter. He believes that if he keeps up his form at Leeds, the ambition is within reach.

“It’s my aim and it’s something I’ve always dreamed of,” said Trafford.

“I always believe that one day I could be. Every day I try to keep improving to put myself in the best position to be England’s number one one day.”

He knows he is not alone in wanting the shirt.

“I think everyone in the goalkeeping department with the national team wants to be number one because it’s an amazing position to be in.”

Trafford has two trophies from his final year at City, a World Cup squad place with no minutes, and a clear message about what he needs next. He says he has to play every week, and the England number one shirt is the goal he is working toward at Leeds, where Daniel Farke defended him over a goal kick error last month.