Out-of-favour Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier may see his hopes of making a move to a Champions League club scuppered by a former teammate.
Illan Meslier has been marginalised by Leeds boss Daniel Farke, having fallen down the pecking order at the club.
The former Premier League number one made several high-profile mistakes for Leeds in the Championship, which saw him dropped for Karl Darlow. Farke moved to bring Lucas Perri to the club in the summer transfer window to further limit Meslier’s chances of playing.
Meslier was linked with several clubs in the summer transfer window as he looks to rebuild a promising career that saw him tipped to be France’s number one.
With Meslier looking likely to leave Leeds at the end of the season when his contract expires, his hopes of making a dream move to Inter Milan could be scuppered by a former Leeds teammate.
Illan Meslier faces competition over Inter Milan transfer
According to Italian publication TuttoSport, Meslier remains one of the frontrunners to make a move to Inter Milan, with uncertainty over the future of Yann Sommer.
However, he could see his hopes quashed by former Leeds teammate Elia Caprile, who has impressed in Serie A and been added to the Italy squad in recent weeks. However, AC Milan’s emergence as a potential suitor also presents an intriguing option for Meslier.
The report states: “The favourite—due to both players’ quality and cost—remains Elia Caprile, fresh from his national team call-up.
“Cagliari bought him from Napoli last summer for €8 million and now values him at three times that amount.”
Before continuing: “Financially, the new arrival in recent weeks on the Nerazzurri and Rossoneri’s radar could be a steal: Illan Meslier, a 2000-born French goalkeeper from Leeds, whose contract expires in June 2026.”
Leeds United will be desperate to cash in on Illan Meslier in January
When Meslier signed a new contract with Leeds in the summer of 2021, it was seen as a significant coup for the club, with Chelsea reportedly keen on a big-money deal for the goalkeeper.
However, Meslier never recaptured his form under head coach Marcelo Bielsa following his departure and now finds himself third-choice behind Perri and Darlow.
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As a result, Leeds are now stuck in a difficult position. Having failed to offload Meslier in the summer, they risk losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season.
With the club looking to make a move for Troy Parrott, among several other attacking options, any money that they could bring in for Meslier in January would be a welcome boost to their transfer kitty.
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