Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier does not have a release clause in his contract.
That is according to Phil Hay, who gave the update on his future on the latest episode of the Square Ball Podcast following his return to pre-season training this week.
Meslier, along with Wilfried Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville and Charlie Cresswell were the last to report back to Thorp Arch after their involvement in the U21s EUROs in Georgia earlier this month.
Leeds are in the market for a new goalkeeper this summer which is a huge indication they no longer have confidence in Meslier to be their number one.
In fact, the 23-year-old is widely expected to move on before the end of the window, though Leeds are still yet to receive any bids for him.
Hay confirms Meslier does not have a relegation release clause
Meslier has been linked with a host of big clubs in the last 12 months but a difficult second half of the season has seen those trails gone cold.
And if clubs are to make an approach for Meslier, they will have to try and agree a fee with Leeds, rather than trigger a release clause.
Hay said: “The money makes a difference, he [Meslier] has no release clause from what I’m told anyway, like Gnonto. I was going to say you can name your price but not really in the Championship, and after a couple of really difficult seasons for Meslier you are looking at clubs to come to you rather than you saying pay thisIt’s not as if they can maximise the value of him in any way.”
It is difficult to say how much Leeds could get for Meslier this summer after such a terrible end to his campaign on a personal level.
12 months ago Leeds could have probably commanded in excess of £30 million, but now even half that could represent good business.
There is certainly still potential in there, with his performance in the win at Anfield last season described as ‘brilliant’ by Alan Shearer, but there are just too many costly errors in his game right now.
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