Leeds United likely to keep £20m-rated starter this season despite ‘absolutely’ planning to sell him

Leeds United may not have gotten their season off to the ideal start but there is still plenty of time ahead for them to gain momentum and catapult themselves up the table as they look to earn promotion back into the Premier League next year.

Following their relegation to the Championship, Daniel Farke and his team have been working hard on the transfer market to not only bring in new recruits, but assess the future of some players already at the club as well. A number of Elland Road regulars have been moved on or sent out on loan already, including the likes of Rodrigo and Tyler Roberts.

However, considering many thought there would be a mass exodus this summer as Leeds consider their financial situation in the Championship, they’ve still got some big players on the roster. One of the main names is Illan Meslier, who looked certain to be headed for the door after a tough end to the 2022/23 term.

But according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, it seems more likely that the goalkeeper will be staying on the books, as Leeds have been unable to facilitate a move. The Whites were originally looking for somewhere in the region of £20 million for Meslier, a 50 per cent drop from their original £40 million valuation of the Frenchman.

“The one player who actually looks like staying at this stage, is Illan Meslier, the keeper that they absolutely planned to sell and make money on. It just hasn’t gone to plan, at this point,” Hay said on an episode of The Square Ball Podcast.

Meslier lost his place in the team to Joel Robles towards the end of last season after conceding 18 goals in five matches. However, he has become the number one choice under Farke and has started both games of the Championship season so far, despite the signing of Karl Darlow.