FC Lorient goalkeeper Illan Meslier is ‘eager’ to see his loan spell with Leeds United turned permanent in a summer transfer, according to Football Insider.
Meslier has featured three times under Marcelo Bielsa since arriving at Elland Road on a one-year deal, having been awarded his club debut in the FA Cup against Premier League Arsenal before facing Hull and Huddersfield in the Championship.
The 20-year-old Frenchman earned his chance to impress in the second-tier once Kiko Casilla was suspended for eight games for racially abusing Jonathan Leko, and kept clean sheets against the Tigers and Terriers as we moved back atop the league standings.
Meslier has now told the Leeds hierarchy that he would like to see the club take up our £5million purchase option, as he feels he is being given the best possible coaching at Thorp Arch to forge a successful career for himself.
The work of head coach Bielsa and the Argentine’s staff have been a particular standout aspect for Meslier since first arriving in West Yorkshire, and is ‘eager’ to stay with us despite having had to wait until the 36th game of the league season to feature.
Director of Football Victor Orta has reportedly already been in contact with Lorient to discuss activating our purchase clause, and that our intentions will not differ if the 2019/20 season finishes without United securing promotion into the top-flight.
Is Meslier worth £5m?
Yes
No
Meslier was forced to make four saves during our FA Cup defeat to Arsenal in January, having seen the Gunners direct five of their 16 shots on target, per WhoScored data.
He was not as busy at the KCOM Stadium when we destroyed Hull having only been forced to make two saves, but those saves proved the young Frenchman – who has represented his country 12 times over the U18s, U19s and U20s – stayed alert as they were the Tigers’ only shots on target.
The same could be said for the West Yorkshire Derby, with Huddersfield only directing two of their six shots on target and neither found a way past Meslier.
In other Leeds United news, a former Whites ace has suggested Orta should lodge a £35m bid to land a worthy upgrade to a current player.