Leeds United have a few major decisions to make over the next few weeks. However, a major decision on a departure has already been made.
The Whites supporters are excited about the summer window after Leeds survived their first season back in the Premier League and finished 14th in the standings.
Leeds are looking to bring in upgrades who are going to be ‘difference-makers’ as Daniel Farke pushes to refresh the squad before the start of the 2026/27 season.
However, chairman Paraag Marathe has already confirmed that there will be player departures as well, and one star will leave to kickstart his career away from Elland Road.
Leeds United are set to confirm the departure of Illan Meslier
Illan Meslier didn’t play a minute of football for Leeds last season and was the third or fourth choice goalkeeper in the squad following the arrival of Lucas Perri.
Leeds were open to selling the Frenchman, but with no offers meeting the club’s valuation, he ultimately remained at Elland Road.
However, Daniel Farke had made up his mind about the Frenchman, and he never got close to making an appearance for Leeds in the 2025/26 season.
At the end of the season, Meslier was seen pondering alone in the middle of the Elland Road pitch as he said goodbye to the iconic stadium after seven years at the club.
In his Leeds United squad audit for The Athletic, Beren Cross conceded that Meslier will leave at the end of his contract this month and look to revive his career away from Elland Road.
Cross wrote: “Will leave the club at the end of this month, with 215 Leeds appearances to his name after seven years.
“A sad ending, but his career badly needs a kickstart.”
He showed enormous potential early at Leeds
Illan Meslier remains the holder of Leeds United’s single-season clean sheet record and was a key figure in the club’s promotion-winning campaigns under both Marcelo Bielsa and Daniel Farke.
He also played a major role during Leeds’ first season back in the Premier League under Bielsa, establishing himself as one of the team’s most important players.
However, while Meslier showed immense promise at a young age, he never quite developed into the goalkeeper many expected him to become. His fortunes took a further turn for the worse towards the end of last season when a difficult spell of form cost him his place in the starting XI, and he has yet to win it back.
Leeds have explored the possibility of selling him in each of the last two transfer windows, but a move never materialised. He will leave on a free transfer this summer, bringing an end to a significant chapter in his Leeds career without perhaps receiving the appreciation his contribution warranted.
