Leeds United are pushing hard to sign Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, and they have received a boost in the race for his signature.
Trafford, who was a part of England’s World Cup squad, was ousted by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Manchester City starting XI almost immediately after his arrival last summer, which means he may need to find a new club for the good of his career.
The 23-year-old was limited to just four appearances in the Premier League, although he was a regular in the cup competitions, starting every game in the EFL Cup, with Man City going on to defeat Arsenal 2-0 in the final.
Lauded as “sensational” by journalist Nazira Yusuf during his time with Burnley, the goalkeeper holds the joint record for most clean sheets in a single season in English football, collecting 29 with Clarets in the Championship during the 2024-25 campaign.
As such, the ex-Burnley star could be more than ready to be a regular starter for a Premier League side, and the door may be open for Daniel Farke‘s side to secure his signature, as their search for a Karl Darlow replacement continues.
Leeds make first move to sign James Trafford
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Leeds have now made official contact regarding a deal for Trafford, and Aston Villa may no longer provide competition in the race.
The Villans are determined to keep hold of Emiliano Martinez, in light of his performances for Argentina at the World Cup.
As Unai Emery’s side would prefer to keep hold of their current goalkeeper, the Whites are now facing one less obstacle in their pursuit of the Man City shot-stopper, and they are pushing hard to get a deal done.
However, Trafford is far from the only option on the shortlist, with Parma’s Zion Suzuki and Newcastle United’s Nick Pope also of interest.
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Which goalkeeper would be the best signing for Leeds? |
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James Trafford |
Trafford has made just 32 Premier League appearances, having been displaced by Donnarumma in Pep Guardiola’s starting XI last season. However, his performances in the EFL Cup last season offer plenty of reason for optimism. The young goalkeeper kept four clean sheets in six games, including one in the final against Arsenal, as City went on to lift the trophy. The 23-year-old’s age is also a major bonus, as he could be the Whites’ number one for the next decade. |
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Nick Pope |
Pope, on the other hand, may be coming to the end of his career, having turned 34 in April. That said, with age comes experience, and the veteran goalkeeper is tried and tested in the Premier League, keeping 82 clean sheets in 248 matches. Leeds took a gamble by signing Lucas Perri last summer, which didn’t pay off, as the Brazilian was eventually replaced by Darlow. However, the Newcastle shot-stopper would be a much safer pair of hands. |
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Zion Suzuki |
Suzuki is more of a left-field option, as the Parma goalkeeper has never played in England. However, an average of 3.3 saves per 90 was the third-highest in the Serie A last season. Moreover, unlike Trafford and Pope, the Japan international proved himself at the World Cup, conceding just five goals in four games, before his side were knocked out by Brazil at the round of 32 stage. |
Whichever goalkeeper Leeds bring in will need to have a strong defence in front of him, and they are now interested in signing experienced centre-back John Stones, who is available on a free transfer after his Manchester City contract expired.
