United play at Old Trafford, Young Trafford plays for City

Teenager James Trafford has been on Manchester City’s books since he was 12 years old, having joined the club as a promising boy in 2013 from Carlisle United. And although he’s a highly talented lad, it was his surname that caught the eye instantly. The sky blues’ biggest rivals Manchester United play at Old Trafford and it would be highly amusing to see the Young Trafford get an opportunity to prove himself in one of the biggest fixtures of English football.

Luckily for Trafford, it’s not just his name that draws interest in the city of Manchester. His dad spotted enough potential in his son and took him to training sessions at Carlisle United. Ben Benson, the goalkeeping coach there who also helped develop United’s ‘keeper Dean Henderson, took over from there and by the age of 12, the youngster was already heading to Manchester.

James Trafford warming up at Old Trafford (©AFP)

Interestingly, James has already been spotted at Old Trafford earlier this year. He was named as a substitute for the EFL Cup semi-Final fixture in January. His team went on to win 2-0 with the England youth international looking on from the stands.

City are impressed enough with the player to have already lined up a good loan for next season with the intention of getting the first-team experience and improve further.

And Pep Guardiola has been only too happy to include Trafford whenever needed this season. He was on the bench for both legs of the Champions League quarter-final with Dortmund, warmed up at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final and was on the bench as his team won the EFL Cup final last weekend.

"It's good that manager Guardiola and the coaches have the faith in me to be on the bench and train with the senior squad. Manchester City can bring anyone in but to put an 18-year-old lad on like me gives me a lot of confidence and it's good. I'm a realist and know what I have to get better at but it is not until the past few years where you realise that if you ever want to make it at City you have to be as good as Ederson if not better and you have to have a good go."

It's worth keeping an eye on James Trafford. Who knows, maybe they’ll be a City player even when he grows Old.