Leeds United had a nightmarish transfer deadline day. They failed to bring in the attacking reinforcements that Daniel Farke made it clear were essential to the club’s fate in the Premier League relegation dogfight in the 2025/26 season.
The Whites made a hash of things on the final day of the transfer window when it was clear that they needed at least one attacking player on deadline day. Leeds looked short in the final third in the opening three Premier League games, and they did nothing to fix that problem in the market.
They did go close to finalising a deal to sign Wales winger Harry Wilson on deadline day. However, Fulham changed their mind about selling him at the last minute and decided against letting him go, which left Leeds empty-handed with little time to do anything.
Leeds are also set to deal with the fallout at the other end of the transfer spectrum as well. The club also failed to complete the necessary outgoings to balance out the squad on deadline day.
Can you name the team Leeds United signed these players from in the 2000s?
Leeds United failed to move on Illan Meslier despite interest from two clubs
Illan Meslier was nailed on to leave Leeds at the start of the window, and it was expected to be a formality once Lucas Perri was signed last month.
The Frenchman is now the third choice behind Perri and Karl Darlow, but he is still part of the Leeds squad at the end of the transfer window.
According to Times reporter Peter Rutzler, Lorien were in talks to sign the goalkeeper on deadline day, and he was also linked with a move to Valencia.
The French club pushed hard for a deal, but they failed to finalise an agreement with Leeds or the player in time for the transfer to go through.
Mesliter joined Leeds from Lorient in 2020 and has made more than 200 appearances for the Yorkshire giants over the last five years.
A move to Lorient was seen as an opportunity for the goalkeeper to return to his former club and rebuild his career in his homeland.
The transfer window is still open in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but there are no offers on his table from clubs of either country.
Galatasaray made an approach to sign him, but Leeds declined any chance of selling him to the Turkish outfit due to long-standing tensions between the two clubs.
Meslier is now at the crossroads of his career
Farke has made it clear from his choices that he doesn’t see Meslier getting any game time at Leeds this season, and he is firmly down the pecking order of goalkeepers.
Perri has not made the best of starts despite the two clean sheets, and the Leeds manager has admitted that he needs to work on his kicking.
However, it seems highly unlikely that the manager will return to Melsier at any point this season, even if Perri struggles for consistency in the coming games.
The Frenchman’s agents need to find a club for him in Turkey or Saudi Arabia in the coming days or find a way to terminate the final year of his contract at Leeds, allowing him to leave on a free transfer.
