Leeds United identify £13.6m Chelsea star as latest summer transfer target

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Leeds United may have to replace goalkeeper Illan Meslier this summer, regardless of promotion or not. He’s simply not up to the mark right now.

Illan Meslier has shown flashes of brilliance in the past, and he’s shown Daniel Farke enough in the last season-and-a-half now to have warranted the no.1 spot since the German’s appointment in 2023.

But it’s all fallen apart now. Meslier had a nightmare performance against Swansea City last time out; another one for the collection this season, and Leeds United fans have had enough of his costly errors which now has the club in 2nd place of the Championship table.

Throughout the season there’s been speculation that Leeds could replace the 25-year-old Meslier this summer anyway. A number of names have been linked including Caoimhin Kelleher, whilst Leeds United are now interested in Aaron Ramsdale at Southampton.

And a newly emerging report from TeamTalk has confirmed that the Whites remain interested in Kelleher, whilst Farke has also set his sights on another Premier League goalkeeper in Chelsea’s Serbian shot-stopper Djordje Petrovic.

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Leeds United keen on Chelsea’s Djordje Petrovic amid Illan Meslier doubt

Despite still not knowing what league they’ll be playing in next season, Leeds United are seemingly continuing on with their plans to replace Meslier with TeamTalk stating that Leeds are reassessing Meslier’s position at Leeds, and that the club now has a handful of goalkeeper targets in mind.

A new one on their list is Petrovic. The 25-year-old joined Chelsea from New England Revolution in a £13.6million deal in 2023 and made 23 Premier League appearances last season, keeping just five clean sheets and then being sent out on loan last summer, joining Ligue 1 side Strasbourg under Liam Rosenior.

Petrovic has since earned plaudits with Strasbourg keeping eight clean sheets in 24 Ligue 1 games. TeamTalk say that he stands a chance of becoming Chelsea’s new no.1 next season, but that if he remains out of contention then he could leave Stamford Bridge.

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Djordje Petrovic’s Premier League record vs Illan Meslier’s

At this point, Leeds fans might take any old goalkeeper over Meslier. But with promotion still looking like the outcome for Leeds this season, Farke will surely want to bring in a goalkeeper with some kind of track record in the English top flight in the summer.

Petrovic has minimal Premier League experience, albeit some, whereas Meslier has three seasons of Premier League experience, though is now failing to cut it as a Championship no.1, so his Premier League pedigree is no more.

If available on a good deal then Leeds should certainly look into a deal for Petrovic who is on an upturn in form right now, and surely ready to retest himself in the Premier League but with a club where he’ll get regular playing time.

That could be Chelsea, or it could be Leeds United.