Illan Meslier is often a talking point among Leeds United fans. But on Saturday against Oxford United, he had very little to do.
Leeds United thumped Oxford United 4-0 to maintain their spot in 2nd place of the Championship table, with all of the top four teams winning on Saturday.
Daniel Farke’s side had just a 1-0 lead at half-time owing to a Dan James goal. But the Whites stepped on the gas after the restart, scoring through Jayden Bogle, Brenden Aaronson, and Manor Solomon.
But Illan Meslier at the other end of the pitch didn’t have a single save to make in the whole 90 minutes against Oxford.
The Frenchman has been in headlines of late with Arsenal reportedly interested in Meslier ahead of the January transfer window, with links to Rennes in Ligue 1 persisting as well.
Meslier has now kept 12 clean sheets in 22 Championship games for the Whites this season. But he remains a divisive figure among fans, with Meslier never looking overly-assuring in between the sticks.
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Illan Meslier’s ‘odd’ pre-game ritual revealed
Posting on X during the game against Oxford United, journalist Graham Smyth spotted something about Meslier that he seems to do every game.
Smyth says Meslier does a practise header after every time the teams shake hands before the game, which the Yorkshire Evening Post journalists finds a bit ‘odd’.
He posted on X: “Teams out. Illan Meslier always comes out of the handshakes and does a practise header, which has always struck me as odd because if he ever has to head the ball something has gone wrong. Catch an imaginary cross, punch away a swirling high ball. Dive to your left. Non?”
Illan Meslier could seal eight-figure Leeds United exit in January
Meslier initially joined Leeds on loan in 2019, making his stay permanent the following season in a deal reportedly worth around £5million.
Ahead of January though, it’s been revealed that Rennes are willing to pay £15million for Meslier.
For the Whites, if a suitable replacement can be found then it might be smart business. It would make for a nice profit on the player who Leeds have certainly gotten their value out of: Meslier has now made 196 total appearances for the Whites, with 62 clean sheets.
Up next for Leeds United is a Boxing Day trip to Stoke City in an 8pm kick off.
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