Leeds United have entered into discussions with Manchester City concerning a potential acquisition of goalkeeper James Trafford. The English international is currently Leeds' top priority in the goalkeeping department, and the club is keen to secure his services as they rebuild their defensive line.
While other Premier League sides such as Newcastle United and Aston Villa have also expressed interest in Trafford during this summer's transfer window, reports suggest that Leeds are the furthest along in the negotiation process. The 23‑year‑old keeper featured in 17 Premier League matches for City in the 2025/26 season after returning to the Etihad from his spell at Burnley, managing to keep eight clean sheets during that period.
Following his club duties, Trafford was selected for England’s squad at the 2026 World Cup, although he did not feature in any of Thomas Tuchel’s matches during the tournament. Leeds have recently seen two of their senior goalkeepers depart – Karl Darlow moved to Manchester United and Illan Meslier transferred to Arsenal – leaving a significant void between the posts. The club’s hierarchy is therefore optimistic about their chances of landing Trafford to fill that gap. Leeds have made it clear that finding a reliable first‑choice goalkeeper is a primary objective this summer, especially after the departure of Darlow and a lackluster debut season for Lucas Perri.
Perri, who fell out of favour under former manager Daniel Farke, currently shares the bench with third‑choice Alex Cairns as the only senior keepers remaining on Leeds’ books. There are rumours that Torino are interested in Perri and that he could leave Leeds, but the club has indicated they will not let the Brazilian move on until they have secured at least one new goalkeeper. The background to Trafford’s career provides further context for Leeds’ interest.
When Gianluigi Donnarumma arrived at Manchester City last summer, Trafford’s opportunities in the Premier League were limited to cup fixtures, with his first‑team league appearances coming only in the final three games of the campaign – notably a 2‑1 defeat to Aston Villa. Prior to his stint at City, Trafford’s top‑flight experience was confined to a challenging season with Burnley in 2023/24, where he conceded 62 goals in 28 matches. Despite the high volume of goals, the underlying expected‑goals (xG) metric suggested that many of those shots were of relatively low quality, with an xG total of 55.02, prompting questions about his shot‑stopping efficiency. Nevertheless, the young goalkeeper used that difficult period as a learning experience.
He rebounded spectacularly in the Championship, delivering a record‑breaking season for Burnley by conceding only 16 goals across 45 games, a performance that helped the Clarets secure promotion back to the Premier League. His development has been praised by former coaches, including Matt Gilks, who worked with Trafford during a loan spell at Bolton Wanderers when he was a teenager.
Gilks highlighted Trafford’s athleticism and mental resilience, stating, "When you've been in the game for 25 years, like I have, you come across hundreds of goalkeepers and there are very few that really stand out, but James is definitely one of them. His athletic profile, the power he produces when he takes off, the way he responds to setback, all the little details are up there." Leeds’ pursuit of Trafford is part of a broader transfer strategy that also sees the club monitoring several other players across Europe. Among the names linked to potential moves are Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo, valued at around £34 million; Harry Wilson, currently a free agent from Fulham; Pascal Struijk from Brighton, priced at roughly £18 million; and Isaac Schmidt from Young Boys, whose fee remains undisclosed.
The departures of Darlow and Meslier, both on free transfers to Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, underscore the urgency for Leeds to reinforce their goalkeeping ranks before the new season commences. In summary, Leeds United are actively negotiating with Manchester City to bring James Trafford to Elland Road, aiming to replace the outgoing keepers and provide a reliable last line of defence. The club’s ambition to sign the England international reflects their desire to stabilise the position after a period of turnover and underperformance, while also positioning themselves to compete more effectively in the Premier League.
The outcome of these talks will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike, as the acquisition of a young, highly‑rated goalkeeper could prove pivotal for Leeds' fortunes in the upcoming campaign.