Newcastle United are making the most serious running in the battle to sign James Trafford, with talks between the two clubs continuing to gather pace.
The 23-year-old England goalkeeper is understood to be open to leaving the Etihad this summer if new boss Enzo Maresca cannot offer him a clear route to regular first-team football. Trafford returned to City from Burnley last summer with designs on challenging for the number one spot, only to find himself playing second fiddle to Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Newcastle have emerged at the front of a queue that also includes Tottenham, Brighton, Aston Villa and Juventus. Of that group, the Magpies' pursuit is the most advanced, with Trafford said to have a genuine fondness for the project at St James' Park — a preference that has held firm even without the lure of European football next season.
According to Mail Sport's Simon Jones, discussions between Newcastle and City officials are ongoing. Sporting director Hugo Viana will be central to any decision on Trafford's future, with the goalkeeper's potential departure shaping up as one of the more significant calls of a summer already defined by considerable movement in and out of the Etihad.
Maresca has identified the goalkeeping position as an area requiring careful assessment. Should Trafford leave, the club would need to decide whether to invest in a replacement or promote from within a squad whose depth in that department is being actively managed as part of a broader rebuild.
The interest from Tottenham adds competitive urgency to Newcastle's discussions. Spurs have already accelerated their own summer recruitment in areas that overlap with City's playing staff, and the two clubs could now find themselves competing to conclude a deal before the window's decisive period begins.
Trafford is currently preparing to fly back to England after Argentina knocked England out of the World Cup at the semi-final stage. What happens next should become clearer in the days ahead as talks between the clubs continue to develop.