Joe Hart issues face-to-face insight to Pep Guardiola on Manchester City’s James Trafford | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has received face-to-face insight from former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart on the club’s newest recruit between the posts, James Trafford.

The former England international, who lifted two Premier League titles with City and was Pep Guardiola’s first goalkeeper during his early months in charge at the Etihad Stadium, knows Trafford’s pathway well.

After coming through the ranks at City’s Academy, Trafford left in 2023 for Burnley in search of regular first-team football, but his progress has now brought him full circle back to the Etihad Stadium.

Hart, who himself understands the pressures of guarding Manchester City’s goal, was uniquely placed to share his perspective. City’s decision to bring Trafford back was influenced by the long-term uncertainty around Ederson’s future, with Guardiola’s staff wanting depth and reliability in goal ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Trafford’s successful exposure to consistent senior minutes at Burnley – playing a significant role in the Turf Moor club’s return to the Premier League for the now-ongoing campaign – made him a trusted candidate.

Having been moved on after Pep Guardiola’s arrival in 2016, Joe Hart knows the high standards required at the Etihad Stadium, and his endorsement of Trafford will give supporters further confidence that the young goalkeeper has the credentials to succeed at the club.

Speaking to Guardiola for a new feature on TNT Sports this week, the former Manchester City goalkeeper handed the Catalan tactician a glowing report on Trafford following his big-money return to the Etihad Stadium this summer.

“I saw him physically develop [at Burnley last season],” Hart told his former head coach. “I saw him stand there in the goal – he’s got talent, he can play – when the big moments came, and he said, ‘Beat me!’ And that was when I thought, I think we’ve got a character here.”

Hart’s words add further weight to the sense of anticipation surrounding Trafford’s first full senior spell at Manchester City. Fans have already expressed excitement about seeing a young, homegrown goalkeeper competing for a starting role, while Guardiola has been cautious in stressing that he will need time to adapt to the demands of City’s style of play.

Looking ahead, Trafford’s challenge will be balancing his development with the immediate expectations of a team chasing silverware on all fronts. If Ederson were to depart in the near future, Trafford could be fast-tracked into a more prominent role.

On the other hand, the competition with Gianluigi Donnarumma – who continues to be heavily linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium – could provide him with the platform to gradually settle in without the pressure of immediate first-choice responsibilities.

Ultimately, Joe Hart’s glowing words may reflect what Pep Guardiola and his staff are already beginning to see for themselves despite his mishaps against Tottenham: a goalkeeper with the potential to become a long-term figure at City and a senior England international.