Chelsea are unfortunately out of the top five in the Premier League following their 1-0 loss to Newcastle United. Additionally, the Blues also have a Herculean task at their hands against Paris Saint-Germain in the upcoming second leg of their Champions League round of 16. They lost the first leg 5-2.
The familiar problems of Chelsea’s squad have been brought to the fore once again following their recent string of bad results. The primary goalkeeper situation is certainly among them. It needs addressing as soon as the transfer window reopens in the summer.
Current number one keeper Robert Sanchez has failed to establish himself as a reliable option between the posts for Chelsea over the past three seasons. Meanwhile, backup keeper Filip Jorgensen clearly has a lot to learn before being considered for the No. 1 role. He was handed a big opportunity against PSG and blew it.
So is there any solution in sight? Well, it feels like there is, and Chelsea should definitely consider going down that path. The solution I am talking about is signing Manchester City’s James Trafford.
Chelsea must sign Manchester City keeper James Trafford as their new No. 1
Trafford, a City academy product, was brought back by the club last summer after the Citizens let Ederson leave. However, the English youngster has struggled to get minutes, having appeared in just three Premier League matches so far.
That said, few could really blame the club, as Gianluigi Donnarumma was signed in the same window. And he is one of the best in the world currently.
As a result, Chelsea could be an attractive destination for Trafford, who wouldn’t mind getting some first-team minutes. The 23-year-old is highly rated and considered by many to be the future No. 1 of England’s national team.
Can the Blues sign Trafford?
It wouldn’t be an easy transfer to pull off, as Trafford has a contract with Manchester City until 2030. Additionally, Chelsea are slated to promote Mike Penders, who is often dubbed the next Thibaut Courtois, to the first team in the coming years. So any major asking fee for the Englishman is unlikely to be met by the Blues at the moment.
On the other hand, a loan move cannot be ruled out. In fact, it could prove to be a win-win situation for both parties. Then again, City might avoid strengthening their rivals by allowing Trafford to join Chelsea. But that’s a topic for another article.
