James Trafford is a superior goalkeeper to Gianluigi Donnarumma, with a report claiming Manchester City sold the wrong player to Leeds United.

Eyebrows were raised when Leeds splashed out a club-record £45m (add-ons included) to sign James Trafford from Man City in the summer.

The 24-year-old had spent the previous campaign rooted to the bench, though in truth, Trafford was always more than good enough to be the regular starter at the vast bulk of Premier League sides.

Since arriving, Trafford has conceded just six goals in the Premier League thus far, with his efforts helping Leeds to establish the division’s third meanest defence. Only Arsenal and Brighton (five goals each) have shipped fewer goals.

And according to the latest from the Daily Mail and their reporter, Ian Ladyman, Man City wouldn’t be wrong to wonder if they sold the wrong goalkeeper.

Gianluigi Donnarumma is widely regarded as a world class stopper, and has twice won the Yashin award (2021, 2025), which is presented to the world’s best performing goalkeeper each year.

However, Ladyman suggested it’s Leeds through Trafford who now field the superior stopper.

James Trafford now superior to Gianluigi Donnarumma?

He wrote: ‘The FA coaching network have been convinced for two or three years that James Trafford would get past Dean Henderson to become Jordan Pickford’s successor as England No1.

‘For a while that looked fanciful but national coach Thomas Tuchel agrees and with maybe good reason.

‘The last time we saw the Leeds goalkeeper playing regularly in the Premier League was for Burnley two seasons ago and he looked like a boy in a man’s outfit, bullied at set-pieces and unable to command his penalty area.

‘Here we are in 2026 – less than two years out from a home European Championship – and the Cumbrian, signed from Manchester City for £40m in the summer, looks like a different goalkeeper.

‘The more I watch him play this season and the more I watch Gianluigi Donnarumma at City, the more I wonder if the Manchester club sold the wrong one.’

The Mail report then showcased a number of statistics that back up the claims Trafford now outranks Donnarumma.

In the Premier League this season, Trafford has made more saves (26 v 21), has a higher save percentage (80% vs 75%), has fewer drops (zero vs two), and boasts many more successful sweepings (11 vs one).

Trafford’s save percentage actually leads all Premier League goalkeepers this term, though Donnarumma has returned a superior goals prevented number (3.1 vs 1.1).