Surprise deal: Liverpool targets "a prized asset from a Premier League rival" as a star player is poised to transfer.
On 23 Apr 2026 GMT+7, GOAL, a prominent football media outlet, reported that Liverpool is ready to join the race to sign James Trafford, the second-choice goalkeeper of Manchester City, a Premier League rival, during this summer's transfer window.
Liverpool recently faced reports that they might lose Alisson Becker, their first-choice Brazilian goalkeeper, who has been contacted by Juventus. The former Roma keeper is reportedly interested in returning to Italy's Serie A, despite having just extended his contract with the Reds until the end of next season.
GOAL revealed that Liverpool is already seeking a replacement and has expressed interest in James Trafford, who is currently the backup to Gianluigi Donnarumma at Manchester City. Trafford played a key role in helping the "Sky Blues" secure a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final last March.
However, 23-year-old James Trafford desires regular first-team football as the number one goalkeeper. He is willing to leave Manchester City for another club offering this opportunity. Besides Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Aston Villa are also reportedly interested in signing him.
Liverpool plans to assess their goalkeeper situation over the coming weeks alongside Alisson and second-choice goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. Meanwhile, Juventus is awaiting a response regarding the possibility of signing Alisson.
