Man City see 'explosive' opportunity open up in transfer market

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• James Trafford

Manchester City have brought James Trafford back to the club and his success can bring more long-term rewards for the squad

James Trafford is back at Manchester City

Speak to people around Manchester City and they will tell you that the door to James Trafford's return never felt closed. He left two years ago to go his own way but he had made a clear impression on Pep Guardiola and believed he had the ability to return as No.1 in the near future.

Not every young player leaves that way. Sometimes it is clear that it is the end of the road because the gulf to the first team is too big, or because there isn't the belief that an opportunity will come.

Even when that exists, creating the circumstances for it to actually happen requires all manner of things to align that are incredibly difficult. Guardiola said in 2022 that the buyback clauses put into nearly every deal for an academy player in recent years was “so just in case they explode we have a chance to get them back,” but even then there are no guarantees that they will or that it will be a success.

City have put buyback clauses into near every deal for an academy player they have sold in recent year, yet Trafford's is just the second to be triggered. The only other time it was happened was when Angelino returned in 2019, and things went so badly then that the left-back left the club for a second time after just six months and was not seen at the Etihad again.

Nobody knows if Trafford's return will work out, although those who know him and have watched his career closely have high hopes. If it does, it will be of great benefit to City in the long run.

Every player who leaves the club with a buyback will know they technically have a chance of returning, but it takes somebody doing it and succeeding at it to put more belief into the next generation.

Moving to another team cannot be seen as a sign that players will never feature for City again, or there may be hesitation from youngsters in making moves and disillusionment once they do exit.

Trafford succeeding can help open up that avenue for every player that has left City and still thinks they have what it takes to make it in the first team. If the stars can align for one star - and work out at a bargain for the club - why not another?

It hasn't got any easier to get into Guardiola's first team plans despite the drop last season, with a host of new signings brought in to restore ambitions. Trafford's move is valuable beyond that, opening up avenues for the future that may not have been considered by either the club or those players who have left to kickstart their career.

If last season saw a highpoint for regrets over players whose clauses were not activated, Trafford could help turn the story around.

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