Leeds United are closing in on their third signing of the summer transfer window after they reached an agreement with Manchester City for James Trafford.
A verbal agreement is in place between Leeds and Manchester City that would see the 23-year-old England goalkeeper move to Elland Road in the coming days.
Leeds have agreed to pay a record fee of £40m and another £5m in add-ons for Trafford, who has already agreed personal terms on a contract with the Whites.
The club are looking to add more players to their squad after Trafford as they are still in the market for a striker and an attacking midfielder and could still see sign Southampton’s Shea Charles.
Read More: Leeds on brink of deal as player favours Elland Road move over European giants
Graham Smyth reveals the latest on another Leeds United deal
The Whites have done a great job in convincing Trafford to agree to a move to Elland Road, despite interest from other more established Premier League teams.
He is expected to become the highest-paid player at Elland Road once he completes the move, but Leeds are prepared to splash big on wages to recruit another proven performer.
Julian Brandt is a player Leeds are desperate to sign, and the club are patiently waiting for the player to decide on his future this summer.
He is available on a free transfer, and visited the club’s training facilities recently with his father to hold talks with Leeds.
Leeds expect Brandt to communicate a decision soon, but according to Graham Smyth, there is still no movement on that front yet.
However, that is not deterring Leeds as they are willing to wait for the player to make up his mind while they carry on other transfer business.
The Whites are not losing patience with Brandt and are prepared to wait as long as possible for him, as they see the German as a major market opportunity.
No movement on that right now. I would presume the fact that he’s such a ‘market opportunity’ they’d be willing to wait and carry on their other business.
— Graham Smyth (@GrahamSmyth) July 27, 2026
Leeds are confident about Julian Brandt
The 49ers have already made encouraging progress in their pursuit of the former Borussia Dortmund playmaker.
Convincing Brandt’s father, who also acts as his agent, to visit Elland Road is a positive sign and underlines that Leeds are genuine contenders for his signature. Over the past year, the club have repeatedly shown they can sell their vision to players who might once have dismissed a move to West Yorkshire.
The arrivals of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Harry Wilson and Anton Stach all highlight that growing appeal, with each choosing Leeds despite interest from clubs with greater stature.
With Trafford also agreeing to join Leeds, it shows the growing appeal of the Whites to high-profile players.
There is still plenty of work to be done before a deal for Brandt can be completed, and Leeds will almost certainly need to put together an attractive financial package. Even so, the way negotiations have developed suggests that securing the Germany international on a free transfer is no longer an unrealistic prospect.
