Manchester City’s deadline day signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma for £26 million last summer saw the club add one of the world’s most highly-rated goalkeepers to their squad.
The former Paris Saint-Germain stopper is a two-time Yashin Trophy winner who clocked up four league titles during his time in France, while he played a starring role in Italy’s Euro 2020 success.
It was clear City were adding a proven winner and a world-class talent, but the move also meant that James Trafford – one of England’s best young goalkeepers – was dropped to the bench shortly after he had re-signed for the club.
Joe Hart on Trafford vs Donnarumma
City activated their buy-back clause on Trafford, which was part of the £15m deal which had sent him to Burnley in 2023, at the start of the summer 2025 window. Two superb seasons for the Clarets, including a Championship promotion campaign in which Trafford conceded just 16 goals in 46 games, left many believing he was ready to assume the City No. 1 shirt.
But after starting City’s first three games of the campaign, Trafford was dropped to the bench following Donnarumma’s arrival. It’s a situation that former City goalkeeper Joe Hart has experience of, having previously battled with Shay Given for the place between the sticks at the Etihad.
“Obviously it’s not ideal,” Hart, who is appearing as a pundit on TNT Sports this week, tells FourFourTwo. “But from what I can gather, I know James, I don’t know Gianluigi. I’ve crossed paths with him.
“He seems like an incredible person. He just seems like a lovely man who’s very, very understanding. So from my experience, I had it with Shay [Given], had it on both sides of the fence with Shay, with him coming in and being number one.
“And then it actually flipped a few years later, and our relationship was basically built on respect and treating [each other] how you want to be treated. And it looks like that from my outside eye looking in, they look like they both totally understand that.
“Of course, they’re playing for the same spot. And of course, given any opportunity they’d want to be starting number one for Manchester City. But I think you’ve just got to accept, in those situations that it’s not actually down to you.
“You can only train, you can only play, you can only interact with your team and conduct yourself off the pitch. After that, it’s up to the coach, it’s up to the goalkeeper coaches.
“So you know regular contact, regular information. And ultimately, you’ve got to be able to just put everything, put your ego aside when it comes to gameday and just back each other, back each other to the hilt.
“You’re not in control of other people, how they are, how they perform, or how they behave, or how they’re perceived. You can only look after yourself and just be ready.”
Hart was speaking on behalf of TNT Sports, who will be showing live coverage of Wolves vs Liverpool, Aston Villa vs Chelsea, Brighton vs Arsenal, Fulham vs West Ham, Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United vs Manchester United and Tottenham vs Crystal Palace this week.
