Leeds United are actively looking for a goalkeeper suitable for their step up to the Premier League, with plenty of candidates in the frame to become an upgrade on Illan Meslier.
While Leeds won the Championship last season, they got over the line with Karl Darlow in goal after he replaced Meslier for the last seven games of the season. After six years at the club, it appears time has caught up with the French goalkeeper, who now looks set to be sold so that Leeds can strengthen in goal for their return to Premier League football.
But who will fill the gloves? Leeds have already missed out on Caoimhin Kelleher, who joined Brentford from Liverpool, but there are lots of other options on the shortlist.
Here is every goalkeeper linked with Leeds for a move this summer, with a recap of how they have performed in recent months for their current clubs.
Djordje Petrovic
Current club: Chelsea
Age: 25
Apps last season: 31 (on loan at Strasbourg)
Goals conceded: 38
Clean sheets: 10
One of the most appealing names for Leeds, Petrovic can count himself unlucky not to be considered for a place higher in the pecking order at Chelsea.
After arriving in the Premier League in 2023, the Serbia international played 31 times in all competitions in his debut season, but was then sent on loan to Strasbourg.
Petrovic performed well in France, but is now someone Chelsea are looking to cash in on rather than reintegrate, which has led to some widespread interest.
TEAMtalk revealed in May that Leeds were seriously considering a move for Petrovic. However, it has come to light that the competition is plentiful, with six other sides registering interest.
A deal for Petrovic could be done for around £25m, which would be the most money Leeds have ever spent on a goalkeeper – but it’s a benchmark they may well need to break this summer.
Aaron Ramsdale
Current club: Southampton
Age: 27
Apps last season: 32
Goals conceded: 68
Clean sheets: 4
If Leeds want to go for someone with even more Premier League experience, it could be an opportune time to strike for Ramsdale.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper is fresh from a third relegation of his career after Southampton finished bottom of the Premier League.
To avoid drifting further away from the England picture ahead of the 2026 World Cup – not that he would be a likely starter for Thomas Tuchel’s side – Ramsdale may want to escape the Championship with immediate effect.
TEAMtalk revealed in March that Leeds were keeping tabs on Ramsdale ahead of Southampton’s imminent relegation, which has opened up a release clause in his contract worth somewhere in the region of £20m.
Sources continue to insist that Leeds admire the former Sheffield United shot-stopper, who is still only 27 years old, but so do other suitors like West Ham.
Sam Johnstone
Current club: Wolves
Age: 32
Apps last season: 10
Goals conceded: 19
Clean sheets: 1
Johnstone was only on the move last summer, when Wolves signed him from Crystal Palace, but after only playing 10 times for his new club, he could be the subject of another transfer this year.
TEAMtalk revealed in June that Daniel Farke wants an experienced goalkeeper, a profile Johnstone ticks the box of at the age of 32.
The former West Brom goalie is keen on a move to Leeds, since he knows he would become no.1 at Elland Road and starting regularly is something he is eager to get back to.
Johnstone will be available for around £8m, with Wolves open to his departure since they would still have Jose Sa and Dan Bentley on the books.
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Nick Pope
Current club: Newcastle United
Age: 33
Apps last season: 32
Goals conceded: 39
Clean sheets: 9
Another goalkeeper Leeds might have fancied is James Trafford, but the Burnley man became a prime target for Newcastle United and is on the verge of a move to St. James’ Park.
Consequently, that will have repercussions for Pope, who has been Newcastle’s first-choice goalie since his own move from Burnley in 2022.
TEAMtalk can confirm that Leeds are interested in Pope, as they believe his experience would give them some stability in between the sticks.
The 10-cap England international doesn’t want to become a benchwarmer, so is exploring his options away from Newcastle, which could also include a return to Burnley in the opposite direction to Trafford.
Angus Gunn
Current club: Norwich City
Age: 29
Apps last season: 35
Goals conceded: 42
Clean sheets: 8
Gunn will be available on a free transfer this summer after his contract with Norwich City expires, bringing an end to a four-year stay at Carrow Road.
While Norwich were in the Premier League when they signed Gunn, he has spent the past three years with them in the Championship.
Still only 29, it remains to be seen if the former Southampton keeper will get another chance in the top flight, but Football Insider linked him with Leeds in April.
The report claimed the Whites were long-term admirers of the Scotland international, either for a first-choice or backup role.
Finn Dahmen
Current club: Augsburg
Age: 27
Apps last season: 23
Goals conceded: 24
Clean sheets: 11
Looking further afield, Leeds have been linked with a swoop for German goalkeeper Dahmen.
Back in March, Alan Nixon reported that Farke had sent a scout to his native Germany to track potential targets, and although Dahmen wasn’t named at the time, his name has since been connected to Leeds by Bild.
Dahmen, whose mother is English and father is German, has been with Augsburg since a 2023 move from Mainz. Only four Bundesliga goalkeepers kept more clean sheets than him in 2024-25.
He is under contract with Augsburg until 2027 and there hasn’t been any indication of his transfer value.
Yahia Fofana
Current club: Angers
Age: 24
Apps last season: 33
Goals conceded: 51
Clean sheets: 7
A new name claimed to be on the Leeds shortlist by Africa Foot in June, Fofana was playing for a promoted side in 2024-25 after helping Angers climb from Ligue 2 to Ligue 1 in France the season before.
In fact, Fofana went on to make the most saves of any goalkeeper in the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season.
Born in Paris but an international for Ivory Coast, Fofana would reportedly cost in the region of £8m as he enters the final year of his contract.
Conan Ledesma
Current club: River Plate
Age: 32
Apps last season: 4
Goals conceded: 3
Clean sheets: 2
Argentine goalkeeper Ledesma spent four years playing in Europe for Spanish side Cadiz before returning to his native country with River Plate in 2024.
Just months after, though, Fichajes started to suggest Leeds were looking at Ledesma. More recently, in April, Estadio Deportivo claimed that, of all the options they were fielding, his entourage liked the Leeds option most.
Ledesma, who has only played five times for River Plate so far, is believed to have a £12.8m buyout clause.
Noel Tornqvist
Current club: Mjallby
Age: 23
Apps last season: 27
Goals conceded: 29
Clean sheets: 7
If you were on the pulse of even the smallest transfer rumours in 2023, you may remember Leeds’ interest in Tornqvist being spilled by his current club Mjallby’s sporting director.
Leeds also held interest in the former Sweden U21 international back in January and Fotboll Direkt has recently claimed they are keeping up their interest.
Whether Tornqvist would be a capable Meslier replacement or merely someone to add to the goalkeeping depth remains to be seen.
Marcin Bulka
Current club: Nice
Age: 25
Apps last season: 40
Goals conceded: 55
Clean sheets: 8
Bulka now looks likely to go into the same category as Kelleher – ones that got away for Leeds this summer. However, in his case, Leeds’ interest wasn’t known too much.
L’Equipe dropped in a nugget claiming Leeds made enquiries for the Ligue 1 goalkeeper as well.
However, it looks to have been a non-starter, with Leeds put off by the asking price and Bulka not as keen on joining them as he seems to be for play-off winners Sunderland.