James Trafford to Leeds: Fourth-most expensive goalkeeper in history seen as England’s next No.1 | football news

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 from Athletic Club for £72m, Alisson, who cost Liverpool £67m from Roma and Andre Onana, who joined Manchester United from Inter for £47.2m.

It’s a huge figure for a goalkeeper with just 32 top-flight appearances under his belt and it comes just a year after Manchester City paid £27million to re-sign him from Burnley. So, why is the 23-year-old considered expendable?

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 became second choice after the club 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 appearances were limited to cup competitions until a 2–1 defeat to Aston Villa on the final day of the campaign.

Before these four Premier League appearances for City, Trafford’s only top-flight appearance came in a relegation season for Burnley in 2023/24, when Trafford conceded 62 shots in 28 games with a much lower expected goals value, 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, conceding 16 times in 45 games as the Clarets won promotion to the Premier League.

Trafford was described as “world-class” by Scott Parker and the former Burnley boss is clearly not alone in this view.

Trafford, who kept six clean sheets during England U21’s successful European Championship campaign in 2023, has since won two senior caps for the national team and is seen as their future No.1 by those who have worked with him.

“One hundred per cent, he can do it,” said his goalkeeping coach Matt Gilles during his loan spell at Bolton Wanderers as a teenager. Sky Sports. “He’s set that goal and there’s no reason why he can’t reach that level.”

Gilks ​​epitomizes Trafford’s athleticism and steely mentality.

“When you’ve been in the game for 25 years, like me, you’ve faced hundreds of goalkeepers and there are very few who really stand out, but James is definitely one of them.

“His athletic profile, the power he creates when he takes off, is a reflection of that. All the little details we see are there.

“For a young man, the way he deals with setbacks is really good. When I was his age, I probably wouldn’t talk to anybody for a week, but he just pulls it off.

“It’s straight into the next game, the next training session.”

Gilks ​​felt his time at Trafford in League One with Bolton, following an unsuccessful spell at Accrington Stanley, spurred him on for the challenges ahead and contributed to the mental toughness that later became part of his appeal to City and Leeds.

“He was like a breath of fresh air when he came in,” Gillocks recalls. “He’s a big, confident ‘keeper in and around the penalty area and he’s been great in the dressing room. We’ve tried to sort out parts of his game, but mostly it’s made him understand the league.

“When you’re playing for Manchester City in academy football, everything is very neat and tidy in front of you. But when you go in front of hairy men in League One who’ve got really strong shots, it’s different.

“It’s hectic. Strikers break everything. He had to get used to it, but the more games he played, the more confidence he grew, in himself, in the team and vice versa.”

Trafford, who was part of England’s World Cup squad, is now rated as a powerful shot-stopper and, crucially, he also excels with his feet, thanks to his City School education giving him the ball-playing ability required for goalkeepers at the highest level.

“James has shown that he can play through the line, find teammates and bounce passes off defenders, which is obviously what he was taught at Manchester City,” added Gilks.

Trafford have the country’s most promising young goalkeeper, and for Leeds, a player who can afford it.