Manchester City made a late move in the transfer market to secure a new goalkeeper on deadline day, underlining that these are difficult times for manager Pep Guardiola and his team. James Trafford, who was signed in the summer, has started every game so far this season and was one of the few City players to come away with any merit from Sunday's defeat to Brighton. However, he is now expected to return to the bench following the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
With Ederson leaving for Fenerbahçe, City and Pep Guardiola moved quickly to bring in the Italy international from Paris St-Germain for £26m in a bid to revive a team struggling at the start of the season.
City started the Premier League season with a convincing 4-0 win over Wolves but have suffered back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Brighton. Guardiola expressed his displeasure with the team's performance, stressing that the latest defeat was the result of a sudden slump after scoring a goal.
Pep Guardiola is now hoping Donnarumma will help solve the team's problems, taking the summer spending to over £180m. However, the question remains: does Donnarumma have the qualities to replace Ederson? And what will happen at Trafford now?
Donnarumma, a goalkeeper known for his excellent shot-stopping skills and commanding presence, has vast experience in big games, helping PSG win the Treble last year. But he is not as good with the ball at his feet as Ederson, who revolutionised the Premier League goalkeeping role during his eight years at City.
Trafford, who returned from Burnley for £27m, was expected to compete with Ederson for the top spot. He has shown potential but now faces competition from Donnarumma, making his path to the title of first choice more difficult.
