Leeds United are approaching the winter transfer on a strong footing. They sit second in the Championship table and are one of the favourites to win automatic promotion to the Premier League. There is a clamour amongst the fans to bring in new faces in January to bolster their promotion hopes in the latter half of the season. However, there is also a need for Leeds to hold on to their best players for the rest of the season.
Daniel Farke has been keen to maintain the harmony and unity of his squad and that makes him reticent to sign new players in the winter window.
He is said to be wary of adding new players to his squad in the winter window as he is worried about the potential disruptive effect it could have on the team, which I have argued is the wrong way to look at it.
However, the morale of the squad could get a real beating if they lose a key player and there are now suggestions that a big player could leave Elland Road in the January transfer window.
According to French outlet Jeunes Footeux, Rennes are interested in getting their hands on Illan Meslier in the winter transfer window.
Losing Meslier would be a body blow for Leeds’ promotion ambitions
Meslier has been a constant in the Leeds team since he broke into the eleven towards the end of their promotion season in the 2019/20 campaign.
For close to five years, the Frenchman has been the Leeds number one and despite some struggles in the Premier League, he has bounced back to be the stalwart between the sticks.
The report of Rennes trying to tempt the goalkeeper away from Leeds in the winter window would concern the Whites and their fans. Leeds would not want to lose him and finding a goalkeeper of his quality in the middle of the season would be close to impossible.
Leeds have stability between the sticks and that is one area of the squad Daniel Farke hasn’t had to worry about over the last 18 months but he would like to keep it that way.
Meslier has suitors at big clubs in Europe but the club must convince him to spend at least until the end of the season at Elland Road. Promotion would ensure that he would continue at Leeds but if they again fail to get top-flight football, the Frenchman would likely leave.
However, Leeds must ensure that he gives them at least until the end of the season and then do what he wants to if the Whites don’t get promoted.
Leeds United will have to focus on finding a replacement for him as well
The Yorkshire giants are under pressure to get promoted and failure would lead to another painful process of rebuilding the squad next summer.
Leeds United lost Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray and Geroginio Rutter last summer and Meslier is one of the players who will likely leave next if Leeds do not get promoted.
He will have a year left on his contract at the end of the season and Leeds would have little option but to sell him if he wants to move on from Elland Road.
It would be responsible for Leeds to start looking at goalkeeping options who could replace Meslier between the sticks and become the next number one for the club.
Leeds will likely offer him a new deal if they get promoted to the Premier League but there is still a chance that they may need a new goalkeeper even if reach the top flight.
Meslier will be weighing up his options in the coming months and consider whether he is ready to part ways with Leeds next summer.
