James Trafford is set to leave City for Leeds United in a deal worth £40m plus add-ons, a club-record fee for the West Yorkshire side and one that will make the 23-year-old the most expensive British goalkeeper for a second time.
The move comes after a frustrating season back at the Etihad.
Trafford rejoined City from Burnley last summer for a then British-record goalkeeper fee, expecting to be first choice, only for the signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma to push him down the pecking order.
He made just four Premier League appearances in 2025-26, though he did feature prominently in City’s FA Cup and League Cup final wins.
Leeds saw off competition from Newcastle United to win the race for his signature, with personal terms understood to be agreed and a medical expected in the coming days.
The move fills a pressing need for Daniel Farke’s side after the departures of Karl Darlow and Illan Meslier this summer.
The deal has a knock-on effect in Italy, too: Torino are set to confirm a loan move for current Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri, with an option to buy, once Trafford’s switch to Elland Road is completed.
For City, it represents a hefty return on an academy product they’ve now sold twice, and leaves Enzo Maresca weighing up whether to bring in a new deputy for Donnarumma before the window closes.
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