Marcelo Bielsa favourite could yet leave Leeds as out-of-window ‘approach’ made
Illan Meslier’s agents have been approached by a top European club as he aims to leave Leeds despite the UK transfer window closing on Monday.
Meslier has been left out in the cold at Leeds this season following their promotion to the Premier League as winners of the Championship last term.
He was a key man under Marcelo Bielsa between 2020 and 2022, and remained the Whites’ first-choice stopper over the years following his exit before he was dropped towards the end of last season after a string of poor performances.
Meslier was expected to leave Leeds in the summer as a result of Daniel Farke‘s snub, but he remained at the club as third-choice stopper behind Karl Darlow and new signing Lucas Perri.
Football Insider revealed in December that AC and Inter Milan were eyeing moves for Meslier, and he has failed to find a new club as yet, but an exit is still possible in the coming days.
Besiktas have held talks with Meslier’s agents
Meslier has made the Leeds bench just five times so far this season, with his last appearance in their matchday squad coming on 29 November as they lost 3-2 to Man City.
Farke is clearly open to letting him move on, with Besiktas linked to Meslier in the final days of the UK window after they failed in a move to sign fellow Whites keeper Perri.
Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu has reported, via X, that the Super Lig giants have now enquired about signing Meslier and have held a meeting with his representatives.
What has Farke said about Meslier’s Leeds future?
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 is surely set to find a new club, like Besiktas, who are willing to take a gamble on his confidence and lack of match sharpness.
It seems as if he has no future at Elland Road, 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 best for all parties that he is allowed to move on before the Super Lig window closes on 6 February.