Leeds pushing to sign classy Man City star in stunning coup amid rival Tottenham interest | OneFootball

Leeds United are plotting a move for Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford this summer, though they face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, who have identified him as a key target.

Leeds‘ planning for the transfer window is underway and signing a new shot stopper is a top priority, though the level of player they can attract may hinge on whether they avoid relegation.

Daniel Farke’s side are in a good position as things stand, as they sit 15th in the Premier League table, four points outside the bottom three. That gap could be closed to three points, though, if West Ham beat Wolves this evening.

We reported Leeds’ strong interest in Trafford back in February and now FourFourTwo have backed up our information, stating that they ‘hope to sign’ the once-capped England international this summer.

The Yorkshire side are looking to bring in more competition for summer signing Lucas Perri, whose form has been inconsistent, though he did play a heroic role in the club’s FA Cup quarter-final victory over West Ham on Sunday.

Illan Meslier, meanwhile, is expected to leave Elland Road this summer, while back-up stopper Karl Darlow is out of contract at the season’s end.

Trafford is a top quality keeper and given he is behind Gianluigi Donnarumma at Man City, he’s considering his options. The 23-year-old would certainly be a statement addition for Leeds, but we understand they face serious competition from Tottenham.

TEAMtalk transfer insider, Fraser Fletcher, revealed in an exclusive update on Wednesday that Roberto de Zerbi wants to make Trafford a key part of a major ‘rebuild’ at Spurs this summer.

He wants to bring in an upgrade on Guglielmo Vicario, who has made some costly errors this term.

Like Leeds, Tottenham are also battling relegation. They sit one point outside the drop zone as things stand, but will fall into the bottom three if West Ham win tonight.

However, interestingly, our sources indicate that Trafford would still be open to joining Tottenham even if they are relegated to the Championship, which suggests they are his preferred next move.

Leeds have some work to do to convince Trafford to join them ahead of other suitors, with Newcastle and Aston Villa also in the mix.

Man City, for their part, are already planning for a potential Trafford departure.

TEAMtalk correspondent, Graeme Bailey, exclusively revealed yesterday that Man City are considering a move for former youth player Pierce Charles, who has performed well for Sheffield Wednesday this season amid their struggles.

The 20-year-old Northern Ireland international, who left the Cityzens as a 16-year-old, is being targeted amid the uncertainty surrounding Trafford.