Analysis of Leeds United’s pursuit of Manchester City’s James Trafford - and their chequered history with goalkeepers
Long-term Premier League stays are built on strong foundations - something Leeds United appear to be well-aware of.
Last summer, after their Championship title triumph, the Whites forked out a reported £15.6m to prise goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Lyon. They acted quickly after Illan Meslier was dropped for the second time in his Elland Road career, landing a stopper knocking on the door of the Brazil squad.
It has not worked out for Perri, who suffered the same fate as Meslier when he was dislodged from Daniel Farke’s XI by Karl Darlow in January.
12 months on from his arrival, Perri is in Torino’s sights. Darlow is across the Pennines with Manchester United and Meslier is down in the capital after a surprise switch to Arsenal.
Leeds United’s James Trafford pursuit
The 23-year-old is just one year into a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium and a significant outlay is likely to be required for his services. Newcastle were reportedly discouraged by an asking price of £50m - a figure that would dwarf the club-record £35.5m Leeds paid to Hoffenheim for Georginio Rutter in 2023.
Leeds United are eyeing an ambitious move to sign England international James Trafford.placeholder image
Leeds United are eyeing an ambitious move to sign England international James Trafford. | Martin Rickett/PA Wire & George Wood/Getty Images
Leeds would be making quite the statement by signing Trafford, a player who until last week was on World Cup duty with England.
They would also be strengthening a goalkeeping department depleted by the departures of Darlow and Meslier.
As it stands, Perri and Alex Cairns are the only stoppers at manager Daniel Farke’s disposal. The former last made a league appearance in January, while the latter has not made a single competitive appearance for the Whites since returning in 2024.
Leeds United’s goalkeeping woes
Meslier’s stock plummet - and the club’s subsequent misfire with the signing of Perri - have placed the Leeds goalkeeper pool firmly under the spotlight.
However, struggles between the sticks have hardly been uncommon across the last decade in LS11.
Robert Green left for Huddersfield Town in 2017 and with him went the air of calm that had descended upon Elland Road’s nets. Felix Wiedwald, Andy Lonergan, Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Kiko Casilla all tried - and failed - to bring it back over the years that followed.
Leeds United struggled for security between the sticks after Robert Green’s departure in 2017.placeholder image
Leeds United struggled for security between the sticks after Robert Green’s departure in 2017. | Steve Riding
Not until Meslier’s emergence in 2020 did Leeds finally settle on one man, as Marcelo Bielsa placed faith in the relatively inexperienced gloveman. He was earmarked as the future but instead proved to be a sticking plaster, a temporary shining light that would eventually fade.
If Leeds make progress in their pursuit of Trafford, much will be made of the financial aspects of the deal on the table. Little can be said with certainty in football but Cumbrian will definitely not come cheap.
Benefits, however, could extend beyond the immediacy of an upgrade in a key position. As a 23-year-old goalkeeper, Trafford should have substantially more years ahead of him than are in his rear-view mirror. A hefty fee stretched out over years does not look quite as hefty - particularly if the player in question performs.
James Trafford spent the 2025/26 season as a Premier League understudy at Manchester City.placeholder image
James Trafford spent the 2025/26 season as a Premier League understudy at Manchester City. | John Walton/PA Wire
There is also the lingering possibility of fulfilled potential, a future at the elite level of the game. Leeds will be keen to develop with Trafford but if the stopper outgrows the Whites, there could be quite the profit to be made.
Perhaps most crucially, Leeds could be solving an issue that has plagued them for the bulk of the last decade.
Last October, then-Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said: “With Trafford, I see the training sessions and for a long time I haven’t seen a goalkeeper as good as James.”
That is quite the endorsement of a man who could give Leeds the strong foundation they sought out in vain last year.