James Trafford gives his first interview on becoming Leeds’ club record signing

James Trafford gives his first interview on becoming Leeds’ club record signing, a 5 year deal, reportedly worth up to £45million.

According to Sky Sports News, that it is for an initial £40million plus add-ons, beating the previous record of £35.5million which they paid for Georginio Rutter from Hoffenheim in January 2023.

Fair to say he’s buzzing to get going at Leeds, saying ‘it will be fun’, looking for more game time having made 17 appearances for previous club Manchester City.

Interviewer: James, congratulations. Welcome to Lead United. How are you feeling?

James: Yeah, really excited. Just really happy that it’s that it’s finally done and yeah, I can get on to preparing for the new season.

Interviewer: There’s been speculation around the move for a number of weeks now. Are you glad it’s all sorted and over the line and you’re here?

James: Yeah, really happy that it’s all done and I can just focus on getting getting in with everyone next week and preparing for the season ahead.

Interviewer: So, when you arrived here, what was the what what’s the thing about League United that sold itself to you?

James: Yeah, I’d say it’s the energy and just the whole passion that the club and the fans and that goes a really long way because of the energy of just the team, the players and the fans go a long way to contributing to results and performances and improving.

Interviewer: Were you keeping an eye on Le United’s fortunes in the Premier League last season?

James: Yeah, because I think the leagues obviously as a promoted team it’s tough like of experience to stay up and yeah and the league’s a better place for for Leeds being in it just because of the way they want to play and just who they are as a club, the history they have. So yeah, it’s always everyone’s everyone’s happy to see Leeds in the league because the league’s a better place with with Leeds in it.

Interviewer: And were you impressed with what you saw in terms of the way that Lead United went about the business of staying in the Premier League last season?

James: Yeah, like we obviously I competed against Leads very closely two seasons ago in the Championship and playing against them. They they were obviously a very very strong team and yeah and last season I remember seeing them at the Etihad from that second half onwards. They were they were incredible. the energy, the physicality, the directness was ah it’s just fun to fun to watch and it’s obviously very effective.

🤩 That space is now yours! pic.twitter.com/x3aFNXtcr9

— Leeds United (@LUFC) August 6, 2026

Interviewer: You mentioned trips here with Burnley. Well, I mentioned it for you. I mean, that was uh two games against leads in that particular championship season. You didn’t concede a goal and I was looking back at the highlights of the game here at Elland Road and you had a good day that day, didn’t you?

James: Yeah, it was great fun that day. It was obviously we when I was at Burnley that time, we didn’t have a great start. Leeds obviously had a better start and we knew it was going to be a tough game but yeah it was just very very good fun that game with how up for it the fans were because it was early kickoff on a Saturday after the national break and the fans were just really involved obviously it was a very close game and it was a great game.

Interviewer: Given the size of the transfer fee involved here it’s a big statement of intent from this football club they must have sold you vision in terms of ambition I’m guessing?

James: Yeah obviously the club, they want to take the club to where it’s been historically and I think everyone here believes that’s going to happen and they yeah they’re clear in what they want and yeah full belief it’s going to happen.

Interviewer: What does it take for Leeds United to make that next step then? Is your arrival a part of that process in terms of the Premier League?

James: Yeah, I’d like to believe so. And to take Leeds to the next step, it’s just just to keep going on the track that they’ve been going on because since since the manager come in there, obviously we got close to getting promoted out the Championship, lost in the final, then got promoted with 101, 100 points, whatever it was, and then stayed up and got better through the season. And when you get better, as time goes on, it shows that something’s going well and you’re sticking to a good process. And so, you just got to keep on that same trajectory.

Interviewer: So, you’re looking forward to your your first game here?

James: Yeah, I can’t wait.

Interviewer: Are you aware the kind of the team spirit, the team ethos here that has been so important to the success of recent seasons?

James: Yeah, a lot of the lads say and a few of the lads I’ve spoken to already say the team group, the spirit is incredible. It’s really, really good. And when you’ve got that belief and that togetherness, it’s going to take you a long way.

Interviewer: Two England caps earned already. Is this a part of you taking another step on that basis as well?

James: Yeah, obviously I’ve always said that I wanted to be England’s number one and I’m hoping and I hope that this that the club will put me to the level which which I am.

Interviewer: On that base, you want to be playing games, don’t you? That’s that’s imperative to doing that.

James: Yeah, I got to play as many games as I can and just show just have as much fun and work as as I can and if I have as much fun as work of that as I can, then I’ll be in a good place.

Interviewer: And you did lift two trophies last season, didn’t you?

James: Yeah. Yeah, we it was obviously great days, the the FA Cup and the the Carabao Cup and to have that experience of winning both trophies, it’s they were both unique in their own ways. like the Arsenal game felt different to the Chelsea game, but to have that experience and to be a part of the teams and the full runs is something that I’ll take with me for a long time.

😍 “The passion, the fans, it goes a long way” pic.twitter.com/L9U9ssisk8

— Leeds United (@LUFC) August 6, 2026

Here’s how fans reacted after James Trafford gives his first interview on becoming Leeds’ club record signing…

@ROI_LUFC: At last 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Everything else aside, delighted we have got our man 🧤 We have needed a top keeper for years 🫡

@DanielFarkeBall:
The boys here 😍😍😍
An actual keeper! Absolutely buzzing!
Welcome James 🙌
👊💛💙🇩🇪 #lufc #alaw #mot #leedsunited

@1895cg: Great signing for Leeds but also a brilliant move for Trafford himself. This is where he’ll kickstart his career and claim that number 1 spot for England.

@lufcMM0: Best signing we’ve made for 20+ years in terms of the stature of player he is currently, great age, pretty unlucky to not be a Man City regular and would’ve had lots of interest – huge resale value. A coup, good work all. Can’t wait to see him play👌 #lufc

@bethgabriel_: Come for the unreal signing, stay for the unreal keeper shirt 🔥

@LukeMiller_7: Played for my dad at carlisle united U11’s centre of excellence, top lad deserves this and buzzing he now plays for the team we both support MOT 💙 Super James Trafford

@Robertkas88: That’s what we all wanted to see! Great ambition from the club! Spent over £70mil on 2 players! 3 top class signings so far! Can’t wait for the season to start MOT 🙌🏻

@Stuey5_: If you’d told me 10 years ago when Cellino still owned us we’d be signing Englands future number 1 for FORTY MILLION POUNDS I’d have laughed until my heart stopped

@JRCooper26: In the last two seasons, James Trafford has conceded a goal, on average, every 192 minutes (29 in 62 games). Roughly one every two and a bit games with an 81.4% save percentage. This is an exciting one. #lufc