Efter James Traffords solide præstationer i pokalkampene mod Newcastle og Salford, har medierne spurgt ind til hans egen opfattelse af signingen i sommers, kort før City også hentede Donnarumma. Her er opsummeringen hos Manchester Evening News:
Donnarumma has said he was aware of City’s interest before the summer transfer window started and that contact strengthened after the Club World Cup - a month before Trafford was signed. According to Trafford, while he wasn´t definitively told he would be No.1 when he picked City over Newcastle he wasn´t told about Donnarumma either.
Donnarumma instantly came into the team when he signed in September and Trafford has not played a Premier League game since, having to be content with cup competitions for a chance to shine. He has taken his opportunities, making important stops in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle as well as the FA Cup win over Salford on Saturday. His lack of game time has put his England place in jeopardy for the World Cup though. Rather than pushing to be No.1, he was left out of the last squad altogether before being belatedly called up when Nick Pope picked up an injury.
Knægten selv tager det relativt pænt:
"It wasn´t that, but it wasn´t what happened [mht. at han ikke fik noget at vide om Donnarumma], so it is what it is, it´s football. You´ve got to keep grafting every day and the games that come, play as hard as you can. It´s just another experience to add to my career and yeah, it has been good learning."
Jeg er med på alt det der anti-blødsødne hårdnysersnak om at der ikke er nogen gavebode i professionel fodbold og så må han jo bare stramme sig an og vise at han er den bedste osv. osv. Men det her er fucking verdens bedste målmand som man forhandler med med den ene hånd, mens man henter Trafford hjem med gyldne løfter med den anden hånd, uden at fortælle ham hvad man har gang i. Det kan godt være det juridisk set er helt legalt og der ikke er brudt nogle eksplicitte løfter, men det er edderbrodereme en decideret TARVELIG opførsel af sportsdirektør Hugo Viana og hvem der ellers står bag. Jeg skammer mig på min klubs vegne! Føj!!!