Latest Fabrizio Romano update from France has surely ended any chance of ‘world class’ player leaving Leeds

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Leeds United’s hopes of keeping one of Daniel Farke’s key men last season have just taken a major step forward.

Despite having already lost Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Glen Kamara, Leeds are still wary that there could be some more first team outgoings.

Leeds have so far brought in excess of £80 million through sales, with P&S concerns having significantly been eased by these exits.

However, there are still just over three weeks of the window remaining and interest in some of Leeds’ players very much remains.

Wilfried Gnonto, Illan Meslier, Pascal Struijk, Ilia Gruev and Georginio Rutter are among those still at Elland Road who have been heavily linked with moves elsewhere.

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Romano hands Leeds boost over Illan Meslier

In terms of that quintet of players still wanted by other clubs, Gnonto feels the most likely departure, with Everton having seen a £23 million bid rejected recently.

For the others, however, nothing has really materialised. Brighton have cooled their interest in Rutter after seeing a £30 million bid rejected, while nothing has come of Torino’s links with Struijk.

Borussia Dortmund have not pressed ahead with a move for Gruev, and the same can be said with Meslier and Marseille, which can now be fully ruled out after Fabrizio Romano’s latest update.

Romano has confirmed Marseille are now close to completing the signings of two goalkeepers, one of which is Ajax’s Geronimo Rulli joining as number one.

Rulli is not the only shotstopper moving to the South of France, though, with Jeffrey de Lange of Go Ahead Eagles set to sign as backup.

With both of those deals on the verge of completion, any lingering chance there may have been of Marseille making a late move for Meslier is over.

Meslier staying at Elland Road should come as little surprise given Farke hailed him as ‘world class‘ last season, and named him as vice-captain last month.

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What Meslier has said about Leeds future

Reports from France had indicated Meslier was keen on a move to Marseille, though he claimed more recently his intention has always been to stay.

The reality is that it is somewhere in the middle, but his latest quotes, coupled with Marseille’s latest transfer moves, are a strong indication he’s going nowhere.

He said: “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.”