Leeds close in on £40m move for James Trafford

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The Football Faithful

·28 July 2026

Leeds close in on £40m move for James Trafford

Leeds United are closing in on the signing of Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford in a deal worth £40 million plus bonuses, with negotiations now in the final stages.

According to The Athletic, the transfer is close to being completed after Leeds stepped up their pursuit of the England international. Trafford is expected to become Daniel Farke’s third signing of the summer following the arrivals of Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo and Harry Wilson on a free transfer.

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The 23-year-old has been keen on a move to Elland Road, with The Athletic reporting last week that personal discussions were progressing positively. Leeds have prioritised signing a new first-choice goalkeeper after Karl Darlow departed for Manchester United, while Lucas Perri and Alex Cairns remain at the club.

Leeds close in on £40m move for James Trafford

Trafford also attracted interest from Newcastle United earlier in the window, but the Magpies have since ended their pursuit, leaving Leeds in a strong position to complete the deal.

The move would bring Trafford regular Premier League football after a frustrating season at Manchester City. He returned to the Etihad in 2025 expecting to compete as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival to leave him as understudy. Trafford made 17 appearances across all competitions, featuring throughout City’s successful FA Cup and Carabao Cup campaigns.

A product of City’s academy, Trafford previously enjoyed an outstanding spell at Burnley, where he kept a Championship-record 30 clean sheets during the 2024-25 season before rejoining his boyhood club. He has since broken into the England senior squad, making his international debut in March and travelling to the 2026 World Cup, although he did not feature during the tournament.

For Leeds, Trafford represents a long-term investment as they seek stability between the posts following Illan Meslier’s departure and Darlow’s exit. If the deal is completed, it would rank among the biggest transfers in the club’s history and hand Farke one of England’s most highly rated young goalkeepers ahead of the new Premier League season.