James Trafford to Leeds: Fourth-most expensive goalkeeper in history is viewed as England's next No 1
James Trafford is bound for Leeds from Man City in a transfer initially worth £40m despite limited Premier League experience; 23-year-old becoming the fourth-most expensive goalkeeper in history but those who have worked with him feel he's worth the expense
Tuesday 28 July 2026 10:02, UK
James Trafford will become the most expensive British goalkeeper in history with his £40m switch from Manchester City to Leeds.
The fee makes him the fourth-most expensive goalkeeper overall, behind only Kepa Arrizabalaga, who joined Chelsea for £72m from Athletic Club, Alisson, who cost Liverpool £67m from Roma, and Andre Onana, who joined Manchester United from Inter for £47.2m.
It's a hefty sum for a goalkeeper with only 32 top-flight appearances under his belt and it comes only a year after Manchester City paid £27m to re-sign him from Burnley. So, why is the 23-year-old deemed to be worth the expense?
Trafford expected to be City's No 1 when he returned to the club he first joined as a 12-year-old last year but ended up being second-choice after the club made moved to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain late in the transfer window.
Donnarumma's arrival meant that, after starting the first three Premier League games of the campaign, Trafford's appearances were limited to the cup competitions until a start in the 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on the final day of the campaign.
Before those four Premier League appearances for City, Trafford's only top-flight appearances had come during a relegation season for Burnley in 2023/24, when Trafford conceded 62 goals in 28 games from shots with an expected goal value much lower, at 55.02.
Those underlying numbers raised questions about his shot-stopping, but the experience proved invaluable for the young goalkeeper and he bounced back with a record-breaking campaign in the second tier, only conceding 16 times in 45 games as the Clarets won promotion back to the Premier League.
Trafford was described as "world-class" by Scott Parker and the former Burnley boss is clearly not alone in that view.
Trafford, who kept six clean sheets during England U21s's successful European Championship campaign in 2023, has since won two senior caps for the national side and is viewed as their future No 1 by those who have worked with him.
"One hundred per cent, he can do it," Matt Gilks, his goalkeeping coach during his time on loan at Bolton Wanderers as a teenager, told Sky Sports. "He has set that goal and there's absolutely no reason he can't reach that level."
Gilks highlights Trafford's athletic attributes and steely mentality.
"When you've been in the game for 25 years, like I have, you come across hundreds of goalkeepers and there are very few that really stand out, but James is definitely one of them.
"His athletic profile, the power he produces when he takes off, his reflexes. All the little details we look at are up there.
"The way he deals with setbacks, for a young lad, is really good. When I was his age, I would probably sulk and not speak to anyone for a week, but he just brushes it off.
"It's straight on to the next game, the next training session."
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Gilks feels Trafford's time in League One with Bolton, following an unsuccessful spell at Accrington Stanley, steeled him for the challenges ahead and contributed to the mental toughness that has subsequently formed part of his appeal to City and Leeds.
"He was like a breath of fresh air when he came in," recalled Gilks. "He was a big, confident 'keeper in and around the penalty area, and he was great in the dressing room. We tried to tidy up parts of his game, but mostly it was just making him understand the league.
"When you're playing for Manchester City in academy football, it's all very neat and tidy in front of you. But when you get in front of hairy men in League One who have got really powerful shots, it's different.
"It's hustle and bustle. Strikers smash everything. He had to get used to that, but the more games he played, the more he grew in confidence, in himself, in the team, and vice-versa."
Trafford, who formed part of England's World Cup squad, is now rated as a strong shot-stopper and, crucially, he also excels with his feet, offering the level of ball-playing ability required by goalkeepers at the highest level thanks to his City schooling.
"James showed he could play through the lines, find team-mates and bounce passes off defenders, which is obviously what he had been taught at Manchester City," added Gilks.
It all adds up to make Trafford the country's most promising young goalkeeper, and, for Leeds, a player well worth the expense.
