Leeds are pushing hard to sign Trafford after Aston Villa made a move for Martinez
Leeds United are pushing hard to sign Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, and they have gained momentum in the race for his signature.
Trafford, who was part of England’s World Cup squad, was dropped by Gianluigi Donnarumma in Manchester City’s starting XI almost immediately after his arrival last summer, meaning he may need to find a new club to continue his career.
The 23-year-old was limited to just four appearances in the Premier League, despite being a regular in cup competitions, starting every EFL Cup game, with Man City beating Arsenal 2-0 in the final.
Honored by journalist Nazira Yusuf during his time with Burnley, the goalkeeper holds the joint record for most clean sheets in a single season in English football, collecting 29 with the Clarets in the Championship during the 2024-25 campaign.
Therefore, the former Burnley star could be ready to become a regular starter for the Premier League side, and the door could be open for Daniel Farke’s side to secure his signature, as they continue to search for a replacement for Karl Darlow.
Leeds have made the first move to sign James Trafford
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Leeds have now officially made contact over a deal for Trafford, and Aston Villa may no longer be able to offer competition in the race.
The Villans are determined to keep Emiliano Martinez, given the way he played for Argentina in the World Cup.
With Unai Emery’s side keen to keep hold of their current goalkeeper, the Whites now face one obstacle in their pursuit of the Man City stopper, and are pushing hard for a deal.
However, Trafford are far from the only option on the shortlist, with Parma’s Zion Suzuki and Newcastle United’s Nick Pope also interested.
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Which goalkeeper would be the best signing for Leeds? |
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James Trafford |
Trafford has played just 32 Premier League games, having been sacked by Donnarumma in Pep Guardiola’s first game last season. However, his performance in the EFL Cup last season gives plenty of reasons for optimism. The young goalkeeper kept four clean sheets in six games, including one in the final against Arsenal, as City continued to lift the trophy. The 23-year-old’s age is also a huge bonus, as he could be the Whites’ first choice for the next decade. |
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Nick Pope |
The Pope, on the other hand, may be nearing the end of his career, having turned 34 in April. That said, with age comes experience, and the veteran goalkeeper is tried and tested in the Premier League, keeping 82 clean sheets in 248 games. Leeds took a gamble by signing Lucas Perri last summer, which did not pay off, as the Brazilian was eventually snapped up by Darlow. However, the Newcastle shot-stopper could be in very safe hands. |
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Zion Suzuki |
Suzuki prefers to play on the left, as the Parma goalkeeper has never played in England. However, his average of 3.3 saves per 90 was the third highest in Serie A last season. Furthermore, unlike Trafford and Pope, the Japanese player proved himself at the World Cup, scoring just five goals in four games, before his own was knocked out by Brazil in the round of 32. |
Whatever goalkeeper Leeds bring in will need to have a strong defense in front of him, and they are now interested in signing experienced midfielder John Stones, who is available on a free transfer after his Manchester City contract expires.
