Leeds United face fresh goalkeeper priority as summer 2025 question lingers | OneFootball

Leeds United face a renewed goalkeeping dilemma a year on from promotion, with Illan Meslier now at Arsenal and Karl Darlow looking set to join Manchester United on a free. Lucas Perri is currently the only senior goalkeeper available to Daniel Farke.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, Alex Cairns has agreed to extend his stay, and Japan international Zion Suzuki and James Trafford are among options admired, with Trafford likely to have several suitors if he leaves Manchester City.

Darlow displaced Meslier for the 2024/25 Championship run-in and finished that season strongly, yet an upgrade was sought for the Premier League. Perri arrived for £16 million on a four-year deal, but his first campaign proved rough.

He struggled playing out from the back and appeared uneasy under Premier League pressure. After two saveable strikes beat him against Manchester United and Newcastle United in January, he was dropped, and his four later outings all came in the FA Cup.

Leeds largely nailed last summer’s business, beating their survival target by finishing 14th, though the right wing or No 10 blend and the goalkeeper spot lingered as gaps. Harry Wilson’s free transfer answers the attacking brief, but the goalkeeping department is again in flux.

Reports suggest Suzuki or Trafford could each cost £30 million or more, a heavy outlay given short-term limits under the new Squad Cost Ratio. Whether Leeds future proof the position now with a long-term signing, or park it and invest elsewhere, remains unclear. Had Darlow renewed, the decision could have been delayed, but as things stand change between the posts looks inevitable this summer.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk