Manchester City omit James Trafford from Asia tour as £40m Leeds move nears | OneFootball

James Trafford has been omitted from Manchester City’s pre-season tour of Asia as a move to Leeds United edges closer.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, Leeds are closing in on a £40m deal plus add-ons for the 23-year-old. That fee would eclipse the club record £35.5m paid for Georginio Rutter in January 2023. Personal terms are not expected to be an issue and City’s stance suggests a decision is near.

The Premier League side departed on Tuesday for fixtures in Hong Kong and Seoul over the next week, with Enzo Maresca naming a 28-man squad that did not include Trafford. He was City’s cup goalkeeper last season.

Trafford remains on a mandated three-week summer break after the World Cup, having been part of England’s squad. Maresca has taken four goalkeepers, first-choice Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marcus Bettinelli and academy pair Max Chabot and Jack Wint.

Leeds hope to finalise the move, with Trafford’s preference reportedly to join Daniel Farke’s side. The England international harbours ambitions of eventually replacing Jordan Pickford as No 1 and needs regular club football first.

He will be in line for immediate first-team minutes at Elland Road, where only Lucas Perri and Alex Cairns are currently in place after Karl Darlow and Illan Meslier left for Manchester United and Arsenal this summer. Once Trafford’s arrival is confirmed, Perri is expected to depart, with Torino heavily linked and an exit that could be sanctioned when a first-choice comes in.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk