Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier could be interested in moving to Marseille this summer.
According to a report from La Provence, the Whites goalkeeper is “enthusiastic” about playing for the French club in Ligue 1 next season.
At the moment, nothing is concrete yet, but Marseille have made contact with the Leeds goalkeeper, who has made 175 appearances for the club since joining from Lorient.
Meslier has a contract at Leeds until 2026, but he “wishes” to leave Elland Road this summer after five years of service.
He has a fairly “high release clause” in his contract, but Marseille are hopeful they can negotiate a deal at a lower price, even if no amount has been leaked yet.
Leeds anticipated that Meslier could attract offers from elsewhere, and they would demand a fee of over £20 million for the 24-year-old goalkeeper.
Illan Meslier could be set for Leeds United exit
Meslier has been a key player for the Whites in the past five years, and he has been the first-choice keeper at the Yorkshire club since Marcelo Bielsa’s time.
After failing to secure promotion to the Premier League, a firesale is expected at Elland Road this summer. The Whites need to raise around £100 million through player sales to comply with the EFL’s financial rules.
Meslier will probably feel that another year in the Championship will hamper his chances of getting picked for the national team, and a move to Marseille would be ideal for his growth and development.
Leeds will probably allow him to move on if they receive a strong offer. In fact, the Whites are already looking for potential replacements, with Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak on their priority list.
Losing Meslier will be a big blow for Daniel Farke and Leeds but there are plenty of good goalkeepers around who can replace him.
