Mills: Leeds may have axed Meslier for financial reasons
Kiko Casilla has been handed a shock return to the Leeds United starting XI to help him secure a move, according to Danny Mills.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Whites and England defender suggested Marcelo Bielsa is putting the Spaniard in the “shop window” ahead of the summer window.
Casilla replaced Illan Meslier between the posts against Southampton and Bielsa confirmed to the Yorkshire Evening Post he will also start against West Brom on the final day.
The one-time Spain international’s only other Premier League appearance this season came against Brighton in January when Meslier was unavailable.
His inclusion at St Mary’s came as a surprise as Meslier has kept an impressive 11 clean sheets in 35 Premier League games this term.
Asked why Bielsa may have selected Casilla ahead of the young Frenchman, Mills told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “Could it be a farewell?
“Could it be a case of putting him in the shop window to say he’s still around, he’s still fit, he’s still able to do what a goalkeeper needs to do?
“Or it could be a thank you to say, ‘You’ve been around all season, here’s a couple of games.’ I’m sure he’ll get some appearance money off the back of it.
“But it’s an opportunity for him to put himself in the shop window.
“It’s just a case of him showing he’s fit and available. Put him out there.”
Leeds confirmed ahead of the visit of West Brom that both Pablo Hernandez and Gaetano Berardi will leave the club this summer.
Berardi’s contract is set to expire this summer while Hernandez still has a year left to run on his deal.
In other news, Leeds United are braced for “huge” bids for “phenomenon” who has missed two-thirds of the season.