It has been a busy enough summer at the Etihad already. City have brought in Elliot Anderson, and the midfielder gave his first interview as a City player on Thursday.
That arrival has not quietened the questions elsewhere in the squad, though. Rodri’s future remains the story that will not go away, with Real Madrid links rumbling on even as the midfielder prepares for back surgery.
Departures are very much part of the picture too. Every squad call Enzo Maresca makes between now and the end of the window will shape how this City side looks come August.
Amid all this, it is the goalkeeping department that could produce the next exit, because events elsewhere in the Premier League moved quickly on Thursday afternoon.
Leeds United ready to move for Manchester City goalkeeper
According to Fabrizio Romano, Torino are closing in on a deal to sign goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Leeds United. Once the final details of that sale are sorted, Romano reports, Leeds will proceed for James Trafford as their new number one.
Crucially, the transfer journalist adds that Trafford is “keen on the move” to Elland Road.
It is worth being precise about what has and has not been reported here. No fee was mentioned in the update, and there is no suggestion yet of an agreement between the two clubs — this is Leeds’ intention once the Perri sale goes through, rather than a done deal.
It does, however, fit the direction of travel. Talks between Leeds and City over Trafford were already understood to be gathering pace this week, with Newcastle United having dropped out of the running.
Romano’s update effectively explains the sequencing. Leeds have been waiting to resolve their own goalkeeping situation first, and with Perri now closing in on Torino, the path is clearing for them to press ahead.
Trafford exit would leave Maresca with a decision to make
Trafford’s story is a familiar one to City supporters. He came through the academy at the club before establishing himself away from the Etihad, most notably with Burnley, where his Championship-winning season made him one of the most talked-about young goalkeepers in the country.
He also has an England Under-21 European Championship winners’ medal to his name, having famously saved a penalty in the closing stages of the 2023 final against Spain.
Since returning to City, though, regular football has been the issue. There has been a long-running debate about whether he should be pushing to be the club’s number one, and at 23 it is easy to understand why a guaranteed starting role elsewhere in the Premier League would appeal.
To be fair to Leeds, the appeal from their side is obvious as well. If Perri departs for Torino, they would be replacing him with a young, homegrown goalkeeper who wants the move — exactly the sort of profile clubs rarely get the chance to sign.
Interestingly, the timing matters too. City’s pre-season is already under way and their World Cup contingent is only just returning, so Maresca will want clarity in goal sooner rather than later.
For City, the calculation is different. Selling Trafford would mean letting a highly rated academy product leave for a direct Premier League rival for a starting spot, and it would leave Maresca needing to settle his goalkeeping pecking order for the new season.
Of course, nothing is agreed yet, and City’s stance on a fee will decide how quickly this one moves. But with Romano reporting that Leeds are ready to proceed and that the player wants the switch, the expectation now is that this saga is heading towards a conclusion — one way or the other — before the window closes.
