Stuart Dallas spent five years of his Elland Road career with Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Leeds United were open to selling Illan Meslier this summer, with the writing seemingly on the wall after Lucas Perri arrived in a big-money move from Ligue 1 giants Lyon.
Meslier was stripped of his Leeds shirt number to hand it to Perri for the start of the season. It was then revealed that Leeds were offering Meslier out to other clubs for around £5-6 million in Europe.
Then, it was also revealed both PSG and Como were considering Meslier as a back-up goalkeeper, amid reports that Lorient were keen to re-sign Meslier after selling to Leeds in 2020.
Stuart Dallas’ view of Illan Meslier
Valencia and Rangers had late interest in Meslier. Nothing came of it, but Graham Smyth’s deadline day reveal outlined that Lorient and Valencia looked the most likely.
Other transfer deadlines remain open to Meslier still, but it is very evident where Daniel Farke views him in the pecking order, with Karl Darlow in every matchday squad and starting against Sheffield Wednesday as well.
With Alex Cairns still around, it’s possible that Meslier is not even the third-choice Leeds goalkeeper. He joined the club over six years ago, but there are now fewer than 10 months on his contract at Elland Road.
Dallas was asked via Comave Italia on Tiktok whether Meslier will be forgotten at Leeds now. The Northern Irishman said: “I mean, I’m not sure if he’s forgotten. I don’t know if it is the end for him.
“I think they’ve signed a goalkeeper in Perri. They’ve obviously got another fantastic goalkeeper in Karl Darlow, so I don’t know if it’s the end for Illan. Yeah, so he’s still at the club. He’ll continue to work. Stranger things have happened in terms of players fighting their way back into the fold.
“Illan’s a good lad. He’s had a fantastic career at Leeds, you know. He’s played a lot of games at a very young age and I wish him well. If he does decide to move on at some point, I don’t know what the plans are, but yeah, he’s had a fantastic career.
“And he can use this. Look, he’s come into Leeds and he’s just been on an upward trajectory, so it’s gone quickly for him so he can use this setback to, you know, to fuel him going forward.”
Graham Smyth’s verdict on Illan Meslier
Smyth expected Meslier to be sold by Leeds and is surprised he remained past the deadline with 12 others leaving Leeds in the summer. He said: “I certainly thought [Illan] Meslier would go.
“The club’s defence, I suppose, to not selling some players will be that fans and people like me, the players that we want them to sell are the players that would probably be hardest to sell.
“You know, you look at Meslier, you think, is a club going to give him the wage that he’s on at Leeds? Given what’s happened over the last two, three seasons, given what happened last season?
“He’s no longer number one at a Championship club, nevermind a Premier League club. He’s been replaced by Karl Darlow. He’s then found himself third in the pecking order, and it’s quite clear there’s no place for him in the league squad.
“So, that’s a big red flag, you know, for a buying club. I’m not really surprised that they find it difficult to shift him.”
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