Leeds United completes James Trafford signing from Manchester City

By Megan Sinclair — 6 August 2026 — 4 min read

Leeds United has confirmed the signing of James Trafford from Manchester City. The goalkeeper joins the Whites on a five-year deal, becoming the most expensive British goalkeeper in history. The transfer fee is reported to be a guaranteed £40million to Manchester City, with additional add-ons.

Trafford, who is 23 years old, underwent a medical earlier in the week before finalising his move. He is the third permanent addition for Leeds United this summer, following the acquisitions of Harry Wilson and Tarik Muharemović.

Trafford’s career trajectory

Trafford began his career with Manchester City, progressing through their youth ranks. He gained valuable experience during loan spells at Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers. His performances at Bolton Wanderers, including a spot in the PFA Team of the Year for League One, led to a move to Burnley.

During his time in the second tier with Burnley, Trafford excelled. He made Sky Bet Championship history in February 2025 by setting a new record for the most consecutive clean sheets in a season, achieving 12. In 33 games, he conceded only nine times, which was the fewest in English football history at that point in the season. Burnley ultimately conceded only 16 goals across 46 games during that campaign, the fewest in the history of the Football League, as they secured promotion alongside Leeds United to the Premier League.

After collecting the Golden Glove Award and being named the PFA Championship Player of the Year, Trafford returned to Manchester City. His transfer fee back to City was a record for a British goalkeeper at the time, a record that has since been surpassed by his current move to Leeds United.

Upon his return to the Etihad Stadium, Trafford made 17 appearances in the 2025-26 campaign, featuring in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. He earned the top-flight’s Save of the Month award for August after a dramatic close-range save against Jan Paul van Hecke. He also kept a clean sheet in the Carabao Cup Final, where Manchester City defeated Arsenal 2-0, making him the second-youngest goalkeeper to achieve this feat. Trafford concluded his return campaign with Manchester City by starting in the FA Cup Final, which City won against Chelsea in May 2026, securing a cup double.

International experience and Leeds’ goalkeeping situation

Trafford has also represented England at various levels. He was part of Lee Carsley’s England Under-21s squad for the 2023 Under-21s European Championships, where he became the first goalkeeper to keep six clean sheets in the tournament. He notably saved a stoppage-time penalty in the final against Spain as England lifted the trophy.

His senior international debut for England came against Uruguay in a friendly at Wembley Stadium. He was subsequently selected for the 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, though he did not make an appearance in the tournament. Trafford has been capped twice at senior international level by England since his debut in March.

Leeds United’s move for Trafford comes after a period of change in their goalkeeping department. Karl Darlow, who was the number one goalkeeper at the end of last season, has departed on a free transfer to Manchester United. Lucas Perri remains with Leeds after losing his starting position to Darlow during the 2025-26 season, and Alex Cairns is also part of the squad. Illan Meslier has also moved on from the club.

Newcastle United had reportedly shown interest in Trafford this summer, with reports indicating he was their primary option. However, they are no longer considering a move for him, having since signed Lukas Hornicek from Braga. Leeds United will be hoping Trafford can provide a long-term solution in goal at Elland Road.

The signing is considered a significant acquisition for Leeds United, with Trafford viewed as one of the rising stars in European goalkeeping. He is expected to be the undisputed number one at Elland Road, offering him the regular playing time he sought after his spell as a deputy to Gianluigi Donnarumma at Manchester City. The club has also previously provided a platform for players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach to return to their national teams. James Trafford officially joined Leeds United on August 6, 2026.

Source: leedsunited.com