Leeds United are again in a situation where failure to win promotion to the Premier League would lead to key player exits.
The Whites fell just short last season and paid a heavy price for it as four key players all departed for top-flight leagues over the course of the summer.
Academy star Archie Gray was the first to leave for Tottenham Hotspur, with Glen Kamara following him out of the exit door soon after, to Rennes.
Crysencio Summerville (West Ham) and Georginio Rutter (Brighton) then both also left for big money in August as Leeds were forced to undergo a squad rebuild.
Sitting just three points off top, Leeds are in a much stronger position than this time 12 months ago, but the pressure is very much on Daniel Farke to deliver.
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Graeme Bailey shares Illan Meslier contract update at Leeds
Leeds currently have one of the youngest squads in the division and so interest is always bound to be on the cards when they are playing well.
Angus Kinnear revealed Leeds rejected bids for several other of their stars in the summer that the vast majority of Championship clubs would’ve been forced into accepting.
Illan Meslier, Pascal Struijk and Wilfried Gnonto were the players name checked by Kinnear. Certainly in the case of Struijk and Gnonto, their stock is only rising based on performances this season.
Despite eight clean sheets in 13 matches, Meslier hasn’t quite found it so easy, with his high-profile late mistake at Sunderland really putting him under the spotlight.
However, with his contract due to expire in 2026, Leeds will soon have a decision to make.
Speaking exclusively to LeedsUnited.News, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says it will entirely depend on if the Whites win promotion, as he doesn’t want another season of Championship football.
He said: “I don’t think he’ll want another season outside the top flight. I think him, more so than Dan James and probably Gnonto as well, they don’t want any more years outside the top flight.
“I think it will be totally dependent on that. Especially Meslier with a year to go, he’s not a million miles away from the French squad you’d imagine, but obviously he can’t get picked while he’s in the Championship.”
Leeds should cash in on Meslier next summer
Regardless of whether Leeds win promotion or not, they should look to cash in on Meslier when the window opens next summer.
Despite his struggles, Meslier remains one of Leeds’ most sellable assets due to his age and the fact goalkeepers don’t peak until later in their career. That makes him an ideal candidate to leave if Leeds remain in the Championship.
If Leeds do get promoted, then they would simply have to upgrade on the goalkeeper position to stand any chance of staying up.
Meslier is unlikely to want to stay as number two, and so selling him for a decent fee, and most likely for a profit on the £5m they spent on buying him, would allow the funds to go on signing a replacement.
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