Arjun Menon
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Leeds United are pushing to secure 23-year-old English international James Trafford from Manchester City this summer, with the Whites reportedly confident of wrapping up an agreement within the next 24 hours.
Aston Villa Step Back, Leeds Move Forward
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa had been tracking Trafford as part of their effort to add goalkeeping cover. That pursuit is now over. The club has opted to retain Emiliano Martinez and will not make a move for the Manchester City stopper after already offloading two key players in recent weeks. That decision has cleared the path for Leeds, strengthening their negotiating hand considerably.
TEAMtalk also notes that while talk of a release clause in any potential deal carries some truth, the reported £75 million valuation is well above what is actually on the table.
Trafford’s Difficult Spell at Manchester City
Trafford returned to Manchester City from Burnley last summer in a £27 million deal after a standout season in the EFL Championship. He claimed the Golden Glove award and was central to Burnley’s promotion campaign, persuading City to bring him back.
His situation changed sharply when Manchester City signed Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain on the final day of the summer transfer window. That move pushed Trafford down the depth chart. He managed only 1,530 minutes across 17 appearances, leaving a transfer this summer as the logical outcome.
Read also: Real Madrid Ready to Sell Tchouameni to Land World Cup Golden Ball Winner Rodri
Leeds Resolve a Pressing Goalkeeping Crisis
At Elland Road, the need for a senior goalkeeper is urgent. Illan Meslier and Karl Darlow have both left as free agents, leaving Lucas Perri as the sole option in the squad. Perri’s own future is uncertain given reported interest from Torino, which adds further pressure to the situation.
Trafford would either compete with or replace Perri, giving Daniel Farke a credible first-choice option heading into the new season. Leeds were at risk of entering the heart of pre-season without a recognised stopper. Landing Trafford this weekend would resolve that problem before it escalates.
Stay with TipsGG for the latest updates as this transfer moves toward a conclusion.