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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
John McDougall

Manchester City's James Trafford sets big Bolton Wanderers loan aim for upcoming season

James Trafford is seeking promotion with Bolton Wanderers to the Championship during his season-long loan from Premier League champions Manchester City.

The 19-year-old joined Wanderers from City in the January transfer window, after a loan spell at Accrington Stanley came to an end. He proved to be a hit at Ian Evatt's side, as he became the club's number one goalkeeper in the the second half of the campaign in place of Joel Dixon.

He played 22 times for the Whites and kept clean sheets in his first four games, setting a club record in the process. He also notched two assists in League One.

READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers linked with transfer window swoop for released young Wolves forward

Talks had been taking place between Pep Guardiola's side and the Whites over a potential return. Trafford has previously said he will leave it to City to decide where the best place to play his football will be next season.

And the talks over his future have clearly been productive for Bolton as he has completed a loan switch which will last for the upcoming season. That will take him to the summer of 2023, when his contract at City is currently due to run out.

Wanderers finished ninth last season in League One, which has been seen as a successful season for a newly promoted side in their first campaign back from being in League Two during 2020/21. This season, Wanderers have their hopes to be challenging for promotion.

Trafford is well aware of that ambition and it is something he shares too. But the City loanee believes the club's form from his debut for Bolton in mid-January against Ipswich Town, after which they lost only three times in 22 games bodes well for the upcoming campaign as the Cumbrian teenager seeks to develop his game further.

Speaking to the club's YouTube channel, Trafford said: "Obviously I've came here to try and get promoted. But there's no point keep going on about it because everyone knows we want to try and get promoted.

"But we showed with the form from the Ipswich game onwards that we can hang with the best teams in the league. We did well so getting promoted is obviously what I've come here to do.

"I'm really looking forward to the season and just building relationships with everyone and everyone building on the challenges that we have.

"I'm really excited to develop and I've got my goals and challenges that I'm going to have. But I'm really looking forward to it. I'm still young but I'm enjoying playing men's football and just playing games."

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