Leeds United sign James Trafford from Manchester City in deal worth up to £45m

By Charlie Bradshaw — 6 August 2026 — 3 min read

Leeds United secure Trafford

Leeds United have completed the signing of goalkeeper James Trafford from Manchester City in a deal that could reach £45m. The England international’s move to West Yorkshire follows the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma at Manchester City in September, which reportedly impacted Trafford’s prospects of becoming the first-choice goalkeeper at the club.

This transfer sets a new record fee for a British goalkeeper, surpassing the previous record of £30m paid by Everton for Jordan Pickford in 2017. It also positions Trafford among the most expensive goalkeepers in football history, with only Kepa Arrizabalaga (£68m) and Alisson (£62m) having commanded higher fees. Reports indicate that more than £80m has now been spent on Trafford in initial transfer fees throughout his career.

As part of the agreement, Manchester City will reportedly retain a 20% sell-on clause and possess matching rights, meaning they would have the first option to re-sign Trafford should another club make an offer in the future. Trafford, who was part of England‘s World Cup squad this summer but did not play, made 17 appearances for Manchester City last season, including four in the Premier League. He also played a significant role in their Carabao Cup and FA Cup victories.

Investment in potential

Leeds manager Daniel Farke appears prepared to invest a substantial fee despite Trafford’s limited opportunities at Manchester City last season. This acquisition comes after both Karl Darlow and Illan Meslier departed Elland Road this summer. While Lucas Perri and Alex Cairns remain with the club, Perri lost his starting position to Darlow in the latter half of last season and did not feature in the Premier League after a 4-3 defeat by Newcastle on 7 January.

Leeds are investing in the potential of the young goalkeeper, whose notable performances largely occurred during his time in the Championship with Burnley. During his spell there, he conceded only 16 goals in 45 appearances. Trafford has played 32 top-flight games in total. His former Burnley manager, Scott Parker, previously lauded his turnaround at Turf Moor before his return to Manchester City.

Parker described Trafford as “world class,” highlighting his 29 clean sheets and an 84.47% save ratio as crucial to Burnley‘s promotion back to the Premier League in the 2024-25 season. Trafford started his career at Manchester City and had loan periods with Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers before joining Burnley in 2023. He made 73 appearances for Burnley before Manchester City exercised their buy-back option last summer.

A new era for Leeds

The signing of Trafford is seen by some as a significant statement for Leeds United, reminiscent of the kind of impactful transfer the club could have benefited from years ago. Trafford is also considered by some to be a potential long-term successor to Jordan Pickford for England. During Burnley‘s season where they matched Leeds‘ 100-point Championship tally, Trafford’s performances were described as brilliant, breaking various defensive records.

While Trafford may have been unfortunate not to establish himself at Manchester City last season, his displays in their cup successes demonstrated a goalkeeper ready to excel at the highest level. Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe stated in June that the bar for squad inclusion and playing time is quite high, suggesting the club might pursue “moonshots” to acquire creative and differential players. This acquisition of Trafford appears to align with that strategy.

The additions made by Leeds this summer, including Trafford, Harry Wilson, and Tarik Muharemovic, are believed to have significantly raised the potential of Daniel Farke‘s starting eleven. According to underlying numbers, this team was already performing at the level of a top-half Premier League side. While further depth in certain areas and additional attacking quality would be beneficial, the club has addressed key business decisively. The club is moving forward, suggesting a departure from past challenges.

Source: bbc.com