Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford is expected to sign a new contract at the club after heading out on loan at Bolton Wanderers for the second time.
The 19-year-old City stopper has returned to the University of Bolton Stadium club for the upcoming campaign. It follows spending the second half of last season out on loan at Ian Evatt's side as he became the club's number one goalkeeper in the the second half of the campaign in place of Joel Dixon.
The England under-21 international has not travelled to Portugal for the League One club's training camp. He will link up again with Wanderers next week when they return from the Algarve after being granted some time off due to recent international duties.
READ MORE: Ian Evatt on Bolton Wanderers ending Fulham Marlon Fossey interest & Conor Bradley admission
The ambitious young goalkeeper has spoken in the past of his desire to one day be City's number one goalkeeper. He faces quite the competition to do so with the likes of Ederson, Zack Steffen and veteran Scott Carson options for Pep Guardiola.
Gavin Bazunu, who was also on the books at City, has recently moved to Southampton and a one area of potential competition to Trafford has been removed. His deal at City is poised to expire in the summer of 2023.
But it is understood that Trafford is expected to sign a new contract at the Etihad Stadium which will take him beyond the end of his current deal at the Premier League champions. It puts any potential hopes that Wanderers had of maybe signing Trafford on a free transfer next summer to bed.
Speaking in Portugal to the Manchester Evening News , Wanderers boss Ian Evatt said the upcoming new deal for Trafford at City is 'exceptional' for him. He believes it is credit to both the player and Wanderers, the latter of which helped him into his current position.
Wanderers have talent from both City and Liverpool on loan for the upcoming campaign. The signing for the season of young right-back Conor Bradley from the Anfield club was announced yesterday.
Evatt believes Bolton will reap the rewards of their trusted standing in the North West with top Premier League clubs. Though loan players will not be in huge amounts at Wanderers, the Bolton manager believes using that market selectively can be beneficial.
He said: “I don’t think he is (out of contract next summer). I think he’s signed a new contract, which is exceptional for him. We’ll be waiting a while for him I think!
“But that’s credit to him that he’s got that contract and also credit for us because we put him in a position where he was able to get that contract. I’m happy for him, happy for us, looking forward to working with him again this season.
“I’ll take confidence from that (City and Liverpool loaning players to Bolton) but it’s a huge team effort and the way the fans treated Traff and bought into Traff.
“Not just the fans, you’ve got the rest of the staff. Sharon, her relationship is key. We’re becoming a place which is hugely trusted and respected in the North West, especially with those top four clubs. So it’s great for us and hopefully we’ll reap the rewards this season with Traff and Conor.
“We’ll always use the loan market as smart as we can but we’re never going to loan loads of players because I don’t believe that’s the right way.
"But we need to be selective when the right ones become available and make sure our hat’s in the ring and fortunately with James and now Conor, these top clubs are choosing us over other options.”
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