James Trafford is closing in on a £40m move to Leeds United that would make the 23-year-old one of the most expensive goalkeepers in history – only Kepa Arrizabalaga (£68m), Alisson (£62m) and Andre Onana (£43m) have cost more. The transfer raises an inevitable question: can he eventually oust Jordan Pickford from the England number one spot?
Since the 2018 World Cup, Pickford has been a fixture for the national side, keeping 44 clean sheets in 91 caps and making 33 major tournament appearances, including two European Championship finals. But the Everton goalkeeper will be 34 by the time Euro 2028 begins, so thoughts are naturally turning to his successor. The other goalkeepers in England's World Cup squad were Nottingham Forest's Dean Henderson, who played in the third-place play-off, and Manchester City's Trafford.
“James Trafford's £40m Leeds move raises stakes in battle to replace Jordan Pickford as England's goalkeeper.”
This latest big-money move and likely starting place at a high-profile club will bring Trafford's ability at the top level regular exposure. Leeds manager Daniel Farke appears happy to pay the reported £40m despite Trafford's limited game time at City last season – 17 appearances in all competitions, but only four in the Premier League. Leeds would be paying for the high ceiling of a young goalkeeper whose highlights have largely come in the Championship with Burnley, when he conceded only 16 goals in 45 matches.
Lauded as "world class" by his then manager Scott Parker, Trafford's 29 clean sheets and 84.47% save ratio were integral to the Clarets' promotion to the Premier League in 2024-25. The son of a farming family from Cockermouth in Cumbria, Trafford came through City's academy before joining Burnley for an initial fee of £15m in the summer of 2023. However, he conceded 67 goals in only 28 matches before losing his place towards the end of the 2023-24 season.
After starring in Burnley's successful promotion, Trafford returned to City for £27m last summer with the hope of being Pep Guardiola's number one. Instead, City signed Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris St-Germain just four weeks after Trafford's arrival, making him second choice – a scenario that prompted his move to Elland Road. If the move goes through, it will mean £82m has been spent on Trafford in initial transfer fees since joining Burnley three years ago. He has only played 32 top-flight games in total.
Former Clarets boss Parker previously praised his turnaround at Turf Moor. "There's no denying at the beginning of the 2024-25 season, there was a lot of work to do with 'Traff'," Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire last April. Now, with regular football at Leeds and time on his side, Trafford has the opportunity to build a case as England's long-term successor to Pickford.