Leeds United splashed out big to secure a deal to sign England goalkeeper James Trafford from Manchester United in the just-concluded summer transfer window.
Daniel Farke wanted a new number 1 goalkeeper this summer, and while Karl Darlow’s departure shocked a few, the club were always looking to bring in an upgrade.
They agreed to pay a club-record fee of £40m, and another £5m in add-ons, and beat Newcastle United to the signature of Trafford from Manchester City in the summer.
Trafford has looked every bit the club-record signing in his initial appearances, and there is confidence at Leeds that they have secured their long-term goalkeeper.
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The Athletic raises doubts over the James Trafford deal
The reputed publication has ranked each and every one of the 155 incoming transfers the Premier League clubs completed before the transfer window closed on Tuesday night.
Only one Leeds player, Harry Wilson, broke into the top 30, and James Trafford was not even considered one of the top 50 signings of the summer.
Journalist Tim Spiers has justified the decision by insisting that Leeds may have paid too much money for a goalkeeper who Manchester City decided was not good enough to be their number 1 last year, very soon after signing him.
He conceded that Trafford could still emerge as a top goalkeeper in the coming years, but indicated that Leeds have paid too much money based on potential.
Spiers wrote on The Athletic: “This is an awful lot of money for someone who cost Man City £27m a year ago.
“Trafford could be the top-level, long-term goalkeeper Leeds have been looking for for years, someone who helps elevate them towards being an established, mid-table Premier League side.
“Or he could be the guy who did not look comfortable with the ball at his feet for City last season, with the club promptly buying Gianluigi Donnarumma to replace him after two weeks.
“We will back Trafford to be the former, but his success is no given, and the massive fee drops this down the list a little.”
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Trafford has already won over the Leeds fans
Farke has already revealed how desperate he was to sign Trafford in the summer and believes he would be a world-class goalkeeper in the future.
The 23-year-old has looked the part between the sticks early in his Leeds career, something no one would have said about Lucas Perri at this stage of the season last year.
Trafford has been comfortable on the ball and has sprayed a few passes that have left some Leed supporters gasping for breath.
He has already made some very important saves in the first couple of games, especially a brilliant Chris Wood striker in the EFL Cup clash last week.
Leeds believe they have spent big on the right player who is going to be at Elland Road for years to come.
