rewrite this title Man City’s James Trafford: ‘Didn’t expect’ to be No. 2 to Gianluigi Donnarumma

James Trafford has said he “didn’t expect” to find himself behind Gianluigi Donnarumma when he signed for Manchester City in the summer.

Trafford returned to the Etihad from Burnley in a £31 million ($42m) deal in July.

He started the first three Premier League games of the season — ahead of Éderson and Stefan Ortega — before Donnarumma arrived from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day.

Trafford hasn’t started a league game since and the 23-year-old has admitted that acting as backup to the Italian international isn’t what he signed up for.

“I didn’t expect the situation to happen, but it happened, so just get on with it,” Trafford said.

“Work very hard every day and then see what happens, give it my best shot.”

There has been speculation Trafford — who turned down a move to Newcastle to rejoin City — was promised he would be Pep Guardiola’s No.1 when he returned from Turf Moor, but he insists that wasn’t the case.

“No, it wasn’t that, but it [the plan] wasn’t what happened,” he said.

“It is what it is. It’s football, it is what it is, you’ve got to keep grafting every day and the games that come, play as hard as you can. “It’s just another experience to add to my career and yeah, it has been good learning.

– Guardiola unhappy with ‘boring’ 2-0 Salford win- Stones’ quest for England place, new deal begins with Salford showing- Is soccer better without VAR? FA Cup shows nobody knows

“I don’t know what happens next season. I just know that I’ll just take it a day at a time and try and improve.”

Since Donnarumma’s arrival, Trafford has been limited to appearances in the domestic cup competitions and one Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen.

With a World Cup on the horizon, limited game time might cost him a place in the England squad this season.

“I haven’t spoken to them [about] if that’s enough, but I play as well as I can and train every day very hard and it’s just down to me,” he said.

“Obviously everyone knows what’s going on with me, so I’ve just got to, whenever I play, play as well as I can.”