Leeds United has completed the signing of goalkeeper James Trafford from Manchester City for a potential fee of £45 million. The transfer fee represents a significant investment, bringing the total initial transfer fees spent on Trafford to over £80 million.
Under the terms of the agreement, Manchester City will retain a 20% sell-on clause and matching rights, giving them the option to match any future offers for the young goalkeeper.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke has expressed willingness to pay a premium for Trafford, despite his limited first-team opportunities at Manchester City last season. This move comes as both Karl Darlow and Illan Meslier have departed Elland Road this summer, leaving a gap in the goalkeeping department. While Lucas Perri and Alex Cairns remain with the club, Perri lost his starting position to Darlow in the latter half of the previous season.
Trafford's potential was demonstrated during his loan spell at Burnley, where he conceded just 16 goals in 45 appearances in the Championship. His performance for Burnley played a key role in their promotion back to the Premier League in the 2023-24 season, where he recorded 29 clean sheets and an impressive 84.47% save ratio. Former Burnley boss Scott Parker had previously lauded Trafford's development, calling him "world class."
Trafford began his career at Manchester City and had previous loan spells with Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers before joining Burnley permanently in 2023. He made 73 appearances for Burnley before City activated their buy-back option last summer.