Illan Meslier breaks silence after Leeds exit speculation with Instagram message
Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier has sent a message to teammate Dominic Calvert-Lewin following his goal in their win over Nottingham Forest on Friday.
Meslier is yet to make an appearance for Leeds in any competition this season after being dropped from their starting eleven by Daniel Farke towards the end of 2024-25.
Several poor performances saw him snubbed as they won promotion to the Premier League, and he has continued to be ousted by Lucas Perri and Karl Darlow in the top flight.
Football Insider revealed in December that AC and Inter Milan were eyeing moves for Meslier, but he failed to find a new club before most transfer windows closed last week.
Besiktas looked set to approach Leeds for Meslier before the end of the Turkish window on Friday, yet he has stayed at Elland Road despite those links, and has now sent a rare message on social media as he faces another few months out in the cold.
Illan Meslier replies to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s Instagram post after Leeds win
Leeds emerged 3-1 victors against Nottingham Forest on Friday night to bolster their chances of Premier League survival this season.
Jayden Bogle and Noah Okafor scored within four minutes of each other in the first half, while Calvert-Lewin notched just after half-time to put the result beyond any doubt.
The former Everton striker celebrated on Instagram following the win, with a series of images from the game alongside a caption saying: “We move.”
His post was reacted to by a number of Leeds players, and Meslier even broke his social media silence to respond with three fox emojis, likely praising Calvert-Lewin’s instincts in front of goal.
What has Farke said about Meslier and his future at Leeds?
Meslier is still only 25 years old, but has racked up over 200 appearances for the Whites since his debut in January 2020.
He has two promotions to the Premier League on his CV and has been linked with big moves in the past, so it is a surprise to think that he has not been able to find a new club that will offer him ample game time.
It seems as if he has no future at Elland Road, especially with his contract set to expire this summer, but Farke has backed Meslier despite his struggles.
Speaking in December, he said: “All the players in the squad are part of my plans. I’ve made my feelings clear about him, I rate him so much.
“A goalkeeper full of potential, unbelievably young for a goalkeeper. At this young age to have had so many Championship and Premier League games is remarkable. It’s also a joy to work with him every day.”
The Leeds boss may have sung his praises in public, but he has not given Meslier any chances to reclaim his number one spot this season, and it seems pretty likely that his seven-year stay at the club will come to an end in a few months.