Leeds United goalkeeper James Trafford says he left Manchester City because he was not playing regularly, describing the experience as harmful to his mental wellbeing. He says the struggle at the Etihad left him feeling “horrendous” and that he sought a fresh challenge, leading to his summer move to Leeds.

Across the coverage, Trafford is presented as explaining that his time at Manchester City did not match the expectations he had when he joined or returned to the club environment. The articles differ slightly in how they characterise that period—some focus directly on the mental wellbeing impact, while others add his personal description of being unable to find his rhythm during the “nightmare” at City.

Overall, the outlets agree on the core points: Trafford describes a prolonged lack of regular playing time at Manchester City, calls the situation “horrendous” or similar, and links his departure from City to the decision to join Leeds. Some coverage places more emphasis on the emotional framing of the period, while others foreground the reasoning for the transfer decision.