Leeds United in Advanced Talks for Goalkeeper James Trafford

Leeds United have moved to the front of the queue in the race for James Trafford, opening advanced talks with Manchester City over a deal for the goalkeeper as they rebuild their last line of defence.

The 23-year-old England international has emerged as Leeds’ top target between the posts, with the club pushing hard to secure an agreement after losing both Karl Darlow and Illan Meslier this summer. Darlow has joined Manchester United on a free, Meslier has gone to Arsenal, and a position that once looked crowded has suddenly become the most urgent vacancy in Daniel Farke’s squad.

City, who brought Trafford back to the Etihad from Burnley, handed him 17 appearances in the 2025/26 campaign. He responded with authority: eight clean sheets and the kind of calm, modern goalkeeping profile that has put him on the radar of several Premier League clubs. That form earned him a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup, even if he did not see a minute of action at the tournament.

Newcastle and Aston Villa have both shown interest in Trafford during this window, but Leeds are understood to be further down the line than their rivals as negotiations continue. The Yorkshire club want him as their No 1, not a rotation option, and that promise of responsibility could prove decisive.

Leeds’ summer so far has carried a clear theme: reshape the spine, spend decisively where it matters, and trust younger profiles with room to grow. Tarik Muharemovic has arrived from Sassuolo in a £34m deal, adding power and composure to the back line, while Harry Wilson has joined from Fulham on a free to boost creativity and set-piece threat.

The exits have been equally significant. Pascal Struijk has left for Brighton in an £18m move, Isaac Schmidt has joined Young Boys for an undisclosed fee, and the departures of Darlow and Meslier have ripped out the club’s existing goalkeeping hierarchy.

That is why Trafford sits at the top of the Leeds agenda. They are not just chasing a stop-gap; they are trying to secure a long-term anchor for a new era. If they can prise him away from City, it will say plenty about their ambition — and about how highly they back themselves to give a young England international the stage he now needs.