Ligue 1 manager confirms interest in Leeds United player, ‘he’s on the list’

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With Leeds United closing in on their ninth signing in the form of Noah Okafor, Adam Underwood will have to start considering some sales to make room in Daniel Farke’s squad.

Reports in Italy claim a deal for AC Milan attacker Okafor could be completed as early as this evening, with a deal to be announced this week. It comes after Fabrizio Romano said a deal for Okafor was agreed.

Okafor would be Leeds’ ninth signing of the summer with a tenth and eleventh still possible. The club could still try and sign a full-back and possibly, a no.10 before the end of the summer transfer window.

However, players will need to be sold or loaned out too. The likes of Patrick Bamford, Sam Greenwood and plenty of others are no longer required. Another is goalkeeper Illan Meslier, after Lucas Perri signed.

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Lorient manager confirms interest in Leeds man Illan Meslier

Meslier’s mistakes last season have forced Leeds into signing Perri, who will wear Meslier’s no.1 shirt tonight. Meslier is now in the final year of his contract, and was not even on the plane to Dublin.

Over the weekend, it emerged that Ligue 1 side Lorient wanted Meslier and talks had been opened. Of course, Lorient are Meslier’s boyhood side, with Leeds signing Meslier initially on loan back in 2019.

Le Telegramme quote Lorient manager Olivier Pantaloni as saying: “He’s on the list. It would be a huge opportunity, but the case isn’t straightforward,” with Meslier likely to require a pay cut to join Lorient.

Why Illan Meslier to Lorient is not an easy deal to complete

Meslier is earning £30,000-a-week at Leeds and it is believed that earning the same amount with newly-promoted Lorient would see him become the club’s highest earner. Then, there is the transfer fee.

Le Telegramme claim Meslier would cost between £13m and £17m, despite the goalkeeper being in the final year of his contract. That seems steep, but even at a considerably smaller fee, Lorient will struggle.

The report outlines why a loan may also prove difficult. But if there is a willingness from Meslier, which there is likely to be, given it is his boyhood club, and Leeds are keen to sell, then a deal could be agreed.