Leeds United are in talks with Manchester City over a move for England goalkeeper James Trafford, with the 23-year-old identified as the club's top target between the posts this summer.
Newcastle United and Aston Villa have both registered interest in Trafford, but Leeds are understood to have progressed further than any other club in negotiations for the shot-stopper.
Trafford's season at City
After returning to the Etihad Stadium from a loan spell at Burnley, Trafford made 17 appearances for Manchester City in 2025/26, recording eight clean sheets along the way.
He also earned a place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, though he did not feature in any of the tournament's matches.
Goalkeeper exits force Leeds to act
Leeds have entered the market for a new goalkeeper after losing two of their own this summer. Karl Darlow departed on a free transfer to Manchester United, while Illan Meslier also left without a fee, joining Arsenal.
Those departures have made securing a reliable first-choice keeper a priority for the club as they prepare for the season ahead.
Leeds' summer business
Leeds have already moved to bolster their squad elsewhere, bringing in Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo for £34 million and Harry Wilson from Fulham on a free transfer. On the outgoing side, Pascal Struijk joined Brighton & Hove Albion for £18 million, while Isaac Schmidt moved to Young Boys for an undisclosed fee.
