In the new season, Ederson is expected to remain Pep Guardiola's first-choice goalkeeper. With Stefan Ortega set to leave, James Trafford will take on the task of competing for the starting goalkeeper position. Additionally, with the combination of Ederson and Trafford, Manchester City are well-equipped to ensure competitiveness in the goalkeeper position.
Trafford's decision to return to the club with Ederson confirmed to stay came as a surprise to many, possibly including Trafford himself.
It’s worth noting that Trafford had made it clear he would only return to the Etihad Stadium if he could become the first-choice goalkeeper. However, as things stand, this vision is clearly yet to be realized.
This season, Ederson is expected to remain Guardiola's first-choice goalkeeper. With Ortega's impending departure, Trafford will take on the role of competing for the starting spot, which contradicts what Guardiola publicly stated last month.
Yet, Ederson's career as a starter seems to be entering its final phase. Last summer, offers from Saudi clubs tempted him, and it took significant effort from the club to persuade him to stay. Meanwhile, last season, Guardiola repeatedly named Ortega in the starting lineup, leading to Ederson temporarily losing his starting spot.
Although Ortega failed to seize his opportunity, similar chances are likely to come Trafford's way. He will get playing time in cup competitions, and he must make the most of every appearance. Even if Ederson manages to hold onto his starting role over the next year, the Brazilian goalkeeper is highly unlikely to renew his contract with the club when it expires next summer.
By then, Trafford will either have already become the team's first-choice goalkeeper or at least be fully prepared to do so. At the same time, he will benefit from a core philosophy of Manchester City's former sporting director. Hugo Viana has continued the long-standing principle of Txiki Begiristain – finding a suitable successor for an existing player before they leave.
Manchester City even successfully applied this principle to the replacement of Begiristain himself. Its implementation has also proven effective in other positions. Examples include allowing Rodri to develop alongside Fernandinho for three years, and integrating Phil Foden into the top-tier star lineup. These are all prime examples.
Begiristain often compared this process to riding a "tandem bicycle": new signings first sit at the back to observe and learn, and once they have accumulated enough control and ability, they take over the front seat as the main rider.
This model will greatly benefit Trafford. No matter how quickly Trafford progresses, Guardiola knows that the best players never stop learning, and Ederson has plenty of experience to pass on to his future successor.
While their playing styles differ, there are commonalities in their goalkeeping techniques. For Manchester City, this combination is undoubtedly the best solution to address the uncertainty in the goalkeeper position this summer.
From the team's overall perspective, as Manchester City brings in new signings to advance their rebuilding, they also need to retain sufficient experience to ensure the core competitiveness the team has demonstrated over the past decade. With the partnership of Ederson and Trafford, Manchester City's goalkeeper position will remain strong not only this season but for many years to come.
