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Right time to cash in for Leeds United with 23-y/o no longer up to scratch – View
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – APRIL 30: Illan Meslier of Leeds United during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Leeds United at Vitality Stadium on April 30, 2023 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier is sure to leave this summer after a rough end to the season saw him axed from the lineup under Sam Allardyce as the season still ended up relegated.
The Whites have plenty of players on their books that won’t be taking part in the Championship season coming up.
Illan Meslier appears to be one of those, with The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealing that the goalkeeper is sure to be leaving, having been dropped from the lineup towards the end of the season.
There appears to be a “mutual feeling” that the Frenchman’s time at Elland Road is coming to an end this summer, despite no concrete interest from specific clubs emerging yet.
Here, we look at two reasons why Leeds would be right to part ways with Meslier this summer…
It’s the right time to cash in
The whole premise of being young players for cheap fees is that you’re looking for them to develop into serious top-flight quality further down the line.
After Meslier’s first season in the Premier League, that £5million signing from Lorient looked like the bargain of the century and Leeds could have multiplied that fee by 10.
However, he’s deteriorated since with the defence in front of him exposing him more and more, meaning his form has fallen off a cliff in 2023.
Leeds won’t be getting the maximum for him that they could have done in 2021, but they will still be able to make smart profit on the fee they paid in 2020.
Should Leeds cash in on Meslier this summer?
Is he that hard to replace?
As harsh as it sounds, anything is an improvement on the version of Meslier that played during the month of April, as he let in virtually any decent chance in that came his way.
Should Leeds opt to sell very soon, they shouldn’t have much trouble finding a new signing from the division they’re dropping into.
Football League World named four EFL-experienced names that the club are keeping tabs on: VIktor Johansson, Freddie Woodman, Marek Rodak, and Karl Darlow.
One of these four might not be the end result of who we push to sign, but it’s proof that there’s cost-effective replacements out there that have been some of the best in the division in previous season.
