Chelsea-bound? Wayne Rooney tells £27m star to leave Man City after Arsenal win

Wayne Rooney has advised Chelsea-linked Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford to leave the club after impressing in the Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal.

Eyebrows were raised when both Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta confirmed that cup goalkeepers Trafford and Kepa Arrizabalaga would be starting at Wembley on Sunday.

The decision backfired on Arteta, who watched on as ex-Chelsea shot-stopper Arrizabalaga made a poor error to gift Nico O’Reilly the opener after a cagey first half.

O’Reilly scored again soon after to secure Man City the first piece of silverware of the season and deny Arsenal a first major trophy since 2020.

While Arrizabalaga had another afternoon to forget at Wembley, Trafford justified his inclusion by helping City keep a clean sheet, with an early save to deny Kai Havertz his biggest contribution.

Manchester City signed Trafford from promoted Championship club Burnley last summer with the intention of making the 23-year-old the No. 1 ahead of Ederson’s departure.

But Man City could not turn down the opportunity to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma later in the window and the Italian quickly displaced Trafford as Guardiola’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Trafford has therefore been heavily linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium ahead of the summer transfer window and Rooney believes that could be the best outcome for all parties.

‘We’ve all known the potential he has and he’s got a big future in front of him,’ the former Manchester United and England captain said on his BBC podcast.

‘But I still haven’t seen enough of him at the top level to fully judge him. I think it’s going to be difficult now, obviously, with Donnarumma at Man City.

‘It looks like probably the only way for him to get that experience and go and play is to move club. Unless he’s really patient and waits around.’

Asked whether joining Man City was the ‘wrong move’ for Trafford, Rooney added: ‘At the time probably not, but then Man City signed Donnarumma.

‘He must have been gutted. It looked the Donnarumma deal was quite quick in the way it played out.

‘I’d imagine all of Trafford’s negotiations and talks were about how he was going to take over from Ederson. And then Donnarumma signs.

‘But from City’s point of view if someone of Donnarumma’s quality becomes available, you’ve got to be ready to go and get him and Man City did that.’

Trafford has been linked with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United during a frustrating season at Manchester City.

Chelsea made an enquiry for Trafford last summer and are expected to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer following Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen’s poor form.

Ex-Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has previously talked up a move for Trafford, while Jamie Carragher has said neither Sanchez or Jorgensen are good enough to be the No. 1 at Stamford Bridge.

‘I’ve been critical of Chelsea for a long time, but I’m being deadly serious, they can’t go any further until they sort the goalkeeping issue out,’ Carragher said after Chelsea lost to PSG in the Champions League.

‘That has been an issue and will continue to be an issue for any Chelsea manager going forward when they’re trying to win the Premier League and Champions League because they’re a million miles off it.’

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