£30m Gamble Rejected For Leeds United Before Trafford Move: Why Is The Englishman An Upgrade? | OneFootball

Leeds United made a formal summer approach for Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin before changing course and completing a deal for James Trafford, according to A Bola, which published details from Ukrainian journalist Mykhailo Spivakovskyi of TaToTake. Benfica rejected the English club’s proposal because it expected Juventus to return with a bigger package, reportedly in the €30m to €40m range.

That move never materialised. Instead, Trubin stayed in Lisbon, then lost his starting berth to Samuel Soares. A Bola says Benfica have offered him a new deal on lower wages after signing him from Shakhtar Donetsk for €10m in 2023, when his salary reportedly carried a significant burden.

Leeds United avoided a costly gamble

The summer decision looks sensible. Trubin played 42 matches and 3,780 minutes for Benfica in 2025/26, while his all-competition save rate stood at 73.3% and his Champions League figure was 70%. Those numbers hardly prove he was a liability, but they do challenge the idea that Leeds United missed out on an obvious top-tier solution. His Champions League campaign brought 10 starts, 900 minutes and 34 saves from 50 shots on target, so volume played a major part in his workload.

LISBON, PORTUGAL – JANUARY 28: Anatoliy Trubin of SL Benfica reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid C.F. at Estadio Da Luz on January 28, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)

Trafford had a tiny sample at Manchester City, with four Premier League appearances last season and a 70% save rate, plus one Champions League appearance. That evidence alone doesn’t make him superior. What matters for Leeds United is the role he now owns.

Leeds United have a better tactical match

Trafford gives Leeds a younger English goalkeeper who can build attacks with greater confidence and play higher from his line. The early returns are encouraging: FBref records an 84.6% Premier League save rate across his first three league matches for Leeds in 2026/27, with only two goals conceded from 13 shots on target. That remains an early sample, so calling him elite already would be premature.

Still, Leeds United needed reliability, mobility and cleaner ball use from the position. Trafford offers those traits without the transfer scenario Benfica once imagined for Trubin. Meanwhile, Benfica now face an awkward situation involving a highly paid goalkeeper who no longer starts.

Leeds United, by contrast, signed Trafford and got a solution that already suits their football better. For Daniel Farke’s side, that’s more important than Benfica’s abandoned summer valuation, especially after Trafford settled quickly into first-team life. That matters greatly for a side under pressure.