James Trafford reveals truth on Manchester City return and Gianluigi … — and more

Manchester City left James Trafford in the dark over plans to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma just weeks after bringing him back to the Etihad Stadium.

City’s goalkeeping situation has been one of the most closely watched storylines of the 2025/26 campaign, particularly after the club’s decision to invest heavily in the position during the summer transfer window.

Trafford’s return to the Etihad Stadium from Burnley was initially framed as a long-term move aligned with Pep Guardiola’s philosophy, but circumstances shifted rapidly once the window progressed.

The 23-year-old rejoined City in a £31 million deal and was entrusted with starting duties at the beginning of the season, featuring prominently during the early Premier League schedule. However, the late arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma altered the hierarchy, prompting Trafford’s transition into a supporting role.

Speaking to reporters after yet another fine performance when called upon by Pep Guardiola in domestic cup action for Manchester City, James Trafford spoke openly about his role as back-up choice goalkeeper for the club.

“I didn’t expect the situation to happen, but it’s happened, so you just get on with it”, the 23-year-old told reporters at the Etihad Stadium.

When asked to clarify whether he specifically meant the club’s signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma weeks after his arrival, Trafford said, “Yeah. It’s happened so I’ll work very hard every day and then see what happens, give it my best shot.”

On whether Manchester City moving for the Italian international had ever felt on the cards when he signed for the club from Burnley, Trafford said, “No, no. It’s just another experience to add to my career and yeah, it has been good learning.”

While league and European opportunities have been limited, James Trafford has carved out an important role as City’s trusted option in knockout competitions, providing stability and composure during high-pressure fixtures.

That trust has been repaid with a series of impressive displays, most notably during City’s run to the 2026 Carabao Cup Final, featuring in all five matches including both legs of the semi-final against Newcastle, underlining his value in Guardiola’s rotation strategy.

Guardiola has continued to publicly commend James Trafford’s attitude and technical quality, highlighting his sharpness despite extended periods without regular starts. And as Manchester City continue to compete on multiple fronts, Trafford’s readiness ensure he remains a dependable option.

The NBA All-Star Game has drawn a lot of ire from fans in recent years. Basketball lovers wanted to see competitive hoops, not the biggest stars in the Association just going through the motions. To address these concerns, the league implemented an All-Star round-robin tournament that showed some promise in terms of competition.

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who's always played with zeal, added to the fun of the 2026 All-Star experiment in Los Angeles. He joined Team Stripes, which featured veteran stars from the United States like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, and led them to a 42-40 victory in the first game against Team Stars, which rostered young stars from the United States like Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Maxey.

Showing up & showing out 🤩

JB in Game 1:
11 PTS
3 REB
1 BLK pic.twitter.com/wXcYn3pVxH

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 15, 2026

Brown notched a team-high 11 points in the narrow win while shooting over 50% from the floor during the 12-minute contest. Team Stripes then moved onto its next game against the third and final squad of the mini-tourney: Team World. While Brown didn't contribute any points in his team's meeting with the global NBA stars, he still managed to notch 2 steals and 1 block en route to an exciting 48-45 win.

The fun ended there for Team Stripes, as the vets were crushed 47-21 by Team Stars in the All-Star championship game. The Stars used their fresh legs to dominate the rematch, with Edwards' 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 8 minutes of play helping him secure the All-Star Game MVP award.

Brown struggled in the finale, missing 8 of his 10 shots and netting 0 triples on 7 attempts. His 4 points were still more than the majority of his teammates — outside of James, who had 5 points in the loss, and De'Aaron Fox, who finished with a team-high 6 points.

Results aside, the overall effort of the tournament seemed to breathe some new life into the star-studded spectacle. That should make the league happy, so perhaps it's a smart idea to invite Brown and several of the other fiery competitors back next year.

Of course, it's not like the five-time All-Star needs any help returning in 2027. His play should speak for itself. But before All-Star talks resume in a year from now, Brown will focus on leading the Celtics to the 2026 NBA Playoffs. His journey to do so continues on Thursday, Feb. 19 when the C's travel to San Francisco to face the Golden State Warriors.

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Jaylen Brown, Team Stripes advance to All-Star championship game before coming up short

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