Interesting that potential contract clause mentioned again.

[JohnMcGreal]

Well I think Jude Bellingham, like Lionel Messi, Mbappe etc, will have a lot more bargaining power when negotiating a contract than James Trafford did. Do you honestly think the club would be stupid enough to agree that a player will definitely start 75% (very arbitrary percentage btw) of games?

I still think that's pretty unlikely, but when you look at the absolute clusterfuck that took place last summer, it wouldn't be that surprising if some of those same masterminds agreed to something as stupid as that.

The most likely explanation is Kompany dropped a bollock and showed incredibly poor judgement in hanging a struggling young goalkeeper out to dry every week until eventually his confidence was shot, which is another problem in itself.

[Hipper]

The biggest question is why £20m was good business for us and will we ever get that back?
An absolutely crazy use of scarce resources when we had two keepers.

We did need a top quality goalkeeper.

Of the two we had last year, Muric and Peacock-Farrell, it was clear Peackock-Farrell was not god enough and Muric was questionable because of his style of play and inexperience. Vigouroux was clearly brought in as a number three (replacing Will Norris). Of course we should have brought in someone like Wayne Hennessey to back Muric.

The purchase of Trafford has been VK's biggest mistake of all. Easy with hindsight I suppose but it took a few seasons for Pickford at to settle in at Everton, and even Alison took a season or so to cope at Liverpool.

[Swizzlestick]

We did need a top quality goalkeeper.

Of the two we had last year, Muric and Peacock-Farrell, it was clear Peackock-Farrell was not god enough and Muric was questionable because of his style of play and inexperience. Vigouroux was clearly brought in as a number three (replacing Will Norris). Of course we should have brought in someone like Wayne Hennessey to back Muric.

The purchase of Trafford has been VK's biggest mistake of all. Easy with hindsight I suppose but it took a few seasons for Pickford at to settle in at Everton, and even Alison took a season or so to cope at Liverpool.

Pickford was Everton’s player of the year in his first season there and Allison won the golden glove. Pickford settled in quite quickly because he’d had loan spells at teams moving up the leagues - Carlisle, Bradford then PNE. Which hasn’t happened with Trafford. A real failure of management to a) spend so much on him and b) leave him in the team so long .

[NL Claret]

James Trafford lives , rent free, in my head. Even though he's been dropped I can't move on.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Questioned it all along, fishy deal.

I love Trafford and I have clearly nailed my colours to the mast about him. But, I do think we have helped Man City out in someway. Potentially with FFP or another issue.

I’m sure Trafford is headed back there with a buy back clause. So a guaranteed playing time clause isn’t something too far off the mark. Inserted by the player but guided by Man City.

I know nothing, so it’s all speculation.

I also don’t wet the bed.

When you say helping out with their FFP can you explain how that works ?

In the last 2 sets of accounts for City they have recorded profits of over £120 million.

[Swizzlestick]

I don’t think it’s a ‘fishy’ deal for what it’s worth. We evidently wanted a keeper and it was clear that first choice was Verbruggen. When Brighton nipped in it looks like we’ve maybe panicked a bit and gone all in on Trafford. I say panicked because it doesn’t seem like a whole lot of due diligence was done in terms of the skill set required for a keeper in this team.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Questioned it all along, fishy deal.

I love Trafford and I have clearly nailed my colours to the mast about him. But, I do think we have helped Man City out in someway. Potentially with FFP or another issue.

I’m sure Trafford is headed back there with a buy back clause. So a guaranteed playing time clause isn’t something too far off the mark. Inserted by the player but guided by Man City.

I know nothing, so it’s all speculation.

I also don’t wet the bed.

Yes I’m sure Man City who can literally buy any keeper in world football will be itching to buy Trafford back. Probably in 2030 when he’s also England number 1.

[jlup1980]

We did need a top quality goalkeeper.

Of the two we had last year, Muric and Peacock-Farrell, it was clear Peackock-Farrell was not god enough and Muric was questionable because of his style of play and inexperience. Vigouroux was clearly brought in as a number three (replacing Will Norris). Of course we should have brought in someone like Wayne Hennessey to back Muric.

The purchase of Trafford has been VK's biggest mistake of all. Easy with hindsight I suppose but it took a few seasons for Pickford at to settle in at Everton, and even Alison took a season or so to cope at Liverpool.

I think BPF is better than many think. He was very unlucky under Dyche, as virtually every time he got a chance in the PL it was against Man City or Liverpool. He did well last season and looked comfortable with the ball at his feet. As you say, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but we would been better going with Muric, BPF and Vigouroux this season.

[NewClaret]

There’s no way on earth any premier league team would commit itself to guaranteed playing time contractually.

What is a bit odd is the timing that Trafford was dropped - he hadn’t made any obvious errors the week before from what I recall - and Trafford not making the bench.

One theory here is that playing more than 75% of games triggered some of the instalments that increased the price from the £14m to £19m. We may have decided that with relegation so likely, we simply couldn’t afford to trigger them.

That is arguably a more worrying theory for me because it may mean that Muric hasn’t worked his way in to Kompany’s thinking as his number 1. Or at least hadn’t at the point he began starting games… the difference he’s made to our results must’ve made Kompany realise.

[criminalclaret]

What is a bit odd is the timing that Trafford was dropped - he hadn’t made any obvious errors the week before from what I recall - and Trafford not making the bench.

Ahh yes, I too tend to pre-plan my illnesses with my employer just like Trafford.

I'm quite impressed with the ability of people on this board to deep delve so specifically into areas of complete hearsay.

Trafford ill and needing a extended break. Muric has come in bar one blunder against Everton has had a very good time in front of goal. It's Muric's shirt to loose now, Traff to bench warm when he's ready to come back.

[aggi]

Some people have never played Football Manager and it shows.

Quite common for players to sign for clubs upon having agreed a certain amount of playing time conditions. Fairly well known isn't it that Bellingham turned down Man United and chose Dortmund because they promised him consistent first team appearances.

Not saying that justifies the Trafford signing and the amount he has featured however.

There was no suggestion of a contractual undertaking with Bellingham. There are, unsurprisingly, discussions around how much a player will play and they will be unhappy if they are not followed but that is different from it being in the contract.

[cblantfanclub]

Wow some theories on here. Here’s one possibility I thought up.

The only half fact we know is that it was rumoured Trafford was such a desirable commodity that a complex buy back clause was in place with City.

The only definite fact is that Muric said in interview pre season when asked about playing in the prem “ if I’m playing” so it appears he knew full well Trafford was promised playing time or he felt he was not as good (Doubtful).

So City want Trafford to get experience at the highest level possible but don’t want a loan where he would have to be recalled if not given enough time and found a new club and it's doubtful he'd get much first team action anywhere in the prem.

They propose Burnley buy him for 14 million and as long as he plays (if fit) a certain number of games they will buy him back if we choose not to keep him.

This almost guarantees City get him the exposure they want and possibly gives us a chance to buy him at the much bandied price of 20 million if he’s a success. If we are relegated he may also go back for the original price. City have now got all the knowledge of where he’s at with no cost to themselves as nowhere else would he have got so many premiership games.

I await the terms of what was trumpeted as a complex buy back arrangement to appear on this site via our usual sources quite soon and look forward to our refund.