Defeat to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley might have seen a number of Leeds United players depart, and fans would have understood if they had done so.
They still might of course, with a month remaining in the window and a whole host of clubs still chasing some of Leeds’ best players. Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto are still being linked with an exit.
But as the 27-man Leeds squad prepare to fly back to Yorkshire from Germany this afternoon, and with less than a fortnight until the opener against Portsmouth, the squad feels together going into August.
Last season, one area for improvement was the start made by The Whites and ultimately it cost Leeds automatic promotion. The Leeds squad will be desperate to put it right this time around, to go back up.
Never a consideration for one Leeds player to leave club
While Summerville, Gnonto and other Leeds players are being linked with the exit door, and indeed some might be tempted to go, it has never been a consideration for one player expected to be a mainstay.
Illan Meslier is likely to surpass 200 games in all competitions for Leeds this term, with 165 under his belt as things stand. Victor Orta gets criticism but a £5m deal for Meslier is a massive tick next to his name.
Meslier has been named as one of two vice captains at Elland Road alongside Pascal Struijk, with Ethan Ampadu captain. He is quoted by Leeds Live as saying he was never tempted to leave Leeds this summer.
“Losing the final of the play-off, it’s always disappointing. But after, you have time to think everything about what happened. To be honest, this season we are in an even better position than last season.
“We will start from the first game and not after the international break of last season. It’s always been clear in my mind, I want to go back up with Leeds. There weren’t doubts, or things like this, in my mind.”
Clubs have been interested in signing Meslier from Leeds
Described as “world class” by Daniel Farke, the Whites are said to have set a £20m asking price for Meslier and there were clubs interested. Marseille were one side touted with a move for the France U21 stopper.
But Meslier has not only found the next step of his career in Leeds, he has found a home. There is some criticism for the goalkeeper at times but at this level, Leeds are not going to get anyone as good as him.
Crucial to Leeds, Meslier will be the cornerstone in pursuit of Championship glory as Leeds and Farke go again. We are now just a couple of weeks away from the start of the season, when Leeds face Portsmouth.
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