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See the full story · 3 sourcesLeeds United and Manchester City agree terms on James Trafford transfer including future clause
Leeds United and Man City have agreed a deal worth £40M plus £5M in add-ons for James Trafford
The agreement includes a sell-on clause, giving Man City a future financial stake in the goalkeeper
The deal marks a permanent exit for Trafford just one year after City re-signed him from Burnley
Manchester City are set to lose James Trafford on a permanent agreement one year on from re-signing their former Academy starlet via a buy-back in his Burnley contract.
The 23-year-old joined City from Burnley for £27 million last summer but was unable to secure a regular first-team role at the Etihad Stadium, with Gianluigi Donnarumma established as the undisputed number one under former manager Pep Guardiola .
With an unclear pathway to consistent senior football under new boss Enzo Maresca , Trafford pursued a departure and Elland Road emerged as his preferred destination – despite interest from the likes of Newcastle United , Aston Villa and Tottenham .
Enzo Maresca responds to James Trafford transfer links amid Leeds United interest
Leeds United had an urgent need to address the goalkeeping position following the respective summer departures of Karl Darlow to Manchester United and Illan Meslier to Arsenal , leaving head coach Daniel Farke with limited senior options ahead of what the club regard as a pivotal campaign on their return to the top flight.
Director of football Hugo Viana was open to a sale for Trafford, having identified Donnarumma as City’s long-term number one, and the two clubs have now reached an agreement that ensures Manchester City retain a financial interest in their outgoing academy graduate’s future beyond the initial transfer.
Report: £40M deal with £5M add-ons and sell-on clause now being finalised
According to the initial reporting of David Ornstein of The Athletic , Leeds United are set to agree a deal to sign England international goalkeeper James Trafford from Manchester City.
It is explained that the deal agreed upon is worth £40 million plus bonuses and is now in the process of being finalised.
Additional reporting from Mail Sport’s Simon Jones suggests that the £40 million fee comes with £5 million in add-ons, while it is further stated that the agreement contains a sell-on clause – meaning Manchester City will receive a percentage of any future profit if Leeds sell Trafford onward.
The inclusion of a sell-on clause reflects the value City continue to place on a player they regard as one of the finest young goalkeepers in English football, and mirrors the sophisticated transfer structures Viana has embedded across City’s key sales this summer .
James Trafford gives go-ahead for next club as Manchester City enter formal talks over sale What does Trafford’s departure mean for Man City’s goalkeeping situation?
The sale of Trafford for an initial £40 million – after paying £27 million to re-sign him from Burnley just 12 months ago – represents a modest but meaningful return on a short-term investment, with the sell-on clause ensuring Manchester City’s financial relationship with the goalkeeper does not end at the point of sale.
With Donnarumma firmly established as first choice, Maresca’s goalkeeping structure will now rely on Marcus Bettinelli as experienced cover, with Oliver Whatmuff continuing to develop as the club’s long-term domestic goalkeeper prospect following his extraordinary loan campaign at Rochdale .
Whether Viana moves to recruit a further senior goalkeeping option before the window closes, or judges the current depth sufficient to navigate the demands of a season across four competitions, is the outstanding question for a position that has seen significant change at the Etihad Stadium in the space of just 12 months.
For Trafford himself, a permanent move to Leeds offers the consistent first-team football at the highest level that his ambition and ability demand – and a platform to remind the watching England management that the goalkeeper who featured at the World Cup in North America is capable of performing at the very top of the domestic game.
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