Leeds United are waiting for the January transfer window to try to sell Illan Meslier. The Frenchman stayed put at Elland Road in the summer despite dropping down the pecking order and being told that he won’t be getting much game time this season.
Meslier is yet to play a single minute of football this season, and is firmly behind Lucas Perri and Karl Darlow in the pecking order. He only returned to the matchday squads in recent weeks because of an injury to Perri.
The Frenchman is on high wages at Leeds in the Premier League, and the club are keen to offload him in the winter window, when he will have six months left on his contract.
Several European clubs, such as Inter Milan, are tracking the French goalkeeper ahead of the winter window. However, it has been claimed that a Janaury exit is highly unlikely at the moment.
Illan Meslier tipped to see out his contract rather than seeking a January transfer
Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes the Frenchman will attract interest from clubs in Europe, particularly from his homeland, France, in the winter window.
He is also aware of the interest from Inter, but he pointed out that the Serie A giants would want to sign him on a free transfer next summer.
O’Rourke feels it is going to be difficult to sell Meslier in the winter window, as he may want to sit out his contract and leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
“I’m sure there’ll be clubs looking at Meslier, there’ll be clubs from abroad who’d probably be looking at the Frenchman”, O’Rouke said on Football Insider’s Inside Track Podcast.
“There’s been reported interest from Inter Milan potentially on a free, they do like to sign players on free contracts, as I said, saves them a lot of money.
“I think there will be interest in some French clubs as well.
“As it stands right now, I think it’ll be difficult for Leeds to try to sell him in January just due to his contract situation and the player himself knowing that he’s third choice there, he’s probably happy to sit out his contract and leave for free at the end of the season.”
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