Tottenham Accelerate Pursuit of Unhappy Manchester City Keeper James Trafford

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to fast-track a summer swoop for 23-year-old England goalkeeper James Trafford after growing indications that the Manchester City youngster is unsettled at the Etihad, sources have told To The Lane And Back.

Spurs have identified goalkeeping reinforcements as a priority ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, with current No.1 Guglielmo Vicario open to a return to Serie A after a string of inconsistent displays that have eroded supporter confidence. Inter Milan and Juventus are already circling for the Italian, clearing the path for Tottenham to target a long-term successor.

Trafford, who re-joined boyhood club City last summer hoping to compete with Ederson, has seen his pathway blocked by the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma on deadline day. The former Burnley stopper has started only three Premier League fixtures, all in the opening weeks, and has since been restricted to domestic-cup duty, prompting a frank post-match admission of frustration after the FA Cup fourth-round victory over Salford City.

Former Tottenham scout Mick Brown confirmed the North London club are monitoring Trafford’s situation. “Tottenham are looking at a few new goalkeepers,” Brown exclusively told Football Insider. “One who I think is going to be high up on their list is James Trafford. He’s not happy at Manchester City and he’s made that pretty clear; he doesn’t want to be a number two. A move to Tottenham could be a good opportunity.”

Brown added: “Trafford is still very highly rated. He showed what he can do at Burnley, he’s an England international and he’s still only young, so it’s more of a long-term investment. If City are willing to let him go, he’s going to be a top target for Tottenham.”

Any deal hinges on Manchester City’s willingness to cash in on the highly-rated prospect, but with Donnarumma firmly established as Pep Guardiola’s first choice, Trafford is expected to push for a permanent exit to secure regular first-team football. Tottenham view the 23-year-old as an ideal candidate to anchor their goalkeeping department for the next decade and believe a formal approach could be enough to persuade both player and selling club this summer.