Leeds United in Talks to Sign Man City Keeper James Trafford

Leeds United are closing in on their new No 1, with talks progressing over a deal for Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford.

The 23-year-old England international has emerged as Leeds’ priority target between the posts after a summer of upheaval in the position. Newcastle and Aston Villa have both tracked Trafford in this window, but Leeds are understood to be ahead of their Premier League rivals in negotiations and are pushing to get an agreement in place.

Trafford returned to the Etihad from Burnley and featured 17 times for City in the 2025/26 campaign, keeping eight clean sheets in all competitions. It was a significant step in his development, enough to earn him a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup. He did not make an appearance at the tournament, but his inclusion underlined how highly he is regarded at international level.

For Leeds, the need is urgent. The club have lost both Karl Darlow and Illan Meslier in the same summer, with Darlow joining Manchester United on a free transfer and Meslier moving to Arsenal, also on a free. Two senior goalkeepers out, none yet in. Trafford is being lined up to fill that void and anchor a rebuilt defensive unit.

The move for Trafford comes as part of a broader reshaping of the squad. At the back, Tarik Muharemovic has arrived from Sassuolo in a £34m deal, a sizeable outlay that signals Leeds’ intent to strengthen their spine. In attack, Harry Wilson has joined from Fulham on a free, adding Premier League experience and creativity in wide areas.

There have been notable departures too. Pascal Struijk has left for Brighton in an £18m move, while Isaac Schmidt has joined Young Boys for an undisclosed fee. With Darlow and Meslier gone, the goalkeeping department has been stripped back, leaving Trafford as the central piece in Leeds’ plan to rebuild from the back.

If Leeds can finish this deal, they will be betting on a young goalkeeper with top-flight minutes, a strong recent record at City and a World Cup call-up on his CV. The question now is not whether Trafford is ready for a bigger role. It is whether Leeds can move quickly enough to beat off the competition and hand him the gloves in time for the new season.