Roberto de Zerbi’s new club Marseille are reportedly ready to make a move for one of Daniel Farke’s most trusted players at Leeds United in 2023/24.
Leeds‘ priority at this stage of the window remains on shifting players out but have so far only managed to sanction the exit of Jack Harrison back on loan to Everton.
Marc Roca is expected to follow him imminently to Real Betis, while the same club are also working to sign Diego Llorente permanently.
However, the exits of those three players come as a surprise to no one and it will certainly be more interesting to see which members of last season’s first team squad will move on.
Crysencio Summerville, Willy Gnonto and Archie Gray have all unsurprisingly been linked with moves, but as of yet, no concrete offers have yet been received.
Marseille eyeing move for Leeds regular Illan Meslier
Leeds have one of the youngest squads in the league and so given the profit they would be able to turn on just one player, it will hopefully limit the number of key exits.
Summerville’s asking price has been set at around £30 million, while bids just shy of that were rejected for Gnonto last summer. Gray could cost even more than that.
However, Illan Meslier is another player who could turn a decent profit and at the same time, be someone that is easy replaceable.
And according to Foot Mercato, Ligue 1 giants Marseille are now taking a look at the Leeds shot-stopper, with goalkeeper one of the positions they are keen to strengthen under de Zerbi.
Meslier was a key player under Farke last season and missed only two of Leeds’ 49 matches in the Championship and play-offs due to suspension.
He cost Leeds £5 million all the way back in 2019 and given his age and two years still remaining on his deal, you would expect the Whites to be able to earn a decent profit.
At this stage, Meslier is purely someone who is been ‘closely watched’ by Marseille, but his footwork is an attribute that has won him admirers, with current ‘keeper potentially on his way out.
Farke labelled Meslier as ‘world class’ last season
Meslier had been expected to leave Elland Road last summer after relegation but Farke’s intervention saw him stay for another season.
He certainly enjoyed a better campaign this time around, but it would be fair to say there were certain moments he could’ve done better, including towards the end of the season.
However, Farke is clearly a big fan of the 24-year-old and even labelled him as ‘world class’ and the ‘best’ in his position at different points of the campaign.
He said: “You know for me this is world class. To return to the dressing room with a clean sheet there can not be a better performance for a goalkeeper.
“If you are more or less not involved in the first half, they had one terrific strike against the cross bar from an unbelievable angle, but to be honest Illan was not involved in the game. But to then be switched on in the 90th minute and make a decisive save, this is a winning mentality and what great goalkeepers do.”
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