Interested clubs will need to pay Leeds United around £20m-£25m to lure Illan Meslier away from Elland Road between now and the end of the summer transfer window, according to Football Insider.
The 23-year-old is one of many players to be linked with a move away from West Yorkshire this summer following the Whites’ relegation from the Premier League.
Although Daniel Farke will be keen to keep hold of as many players as possible in his quest to get the club back to the top flight at the first time of asking, plenty of players have already left and Meslier could follow them through the exit door.
Who has already left Leeds United?
Tyler Roberts, Adam Forshaw, Joel Robles and Rodrigo have all departed the club permanently, with Roberts and Rodrigo moving on for undisclosed fees.
Forshaw and Robles left on the expiration of their contracts.
But most of their high-profile players have departed on loan, with Rob Koch and Brenden Aaronson sealing moves to Germany, Diego Llorente and Rasmus Kristensen linking up with Roma and Marc Roca returning to Spain to secure a temporary switch to Real Betis.
Plenty of others have been linked with moves away, including Meslier, Tyler Adams and Willy Gnonto.
How much will Illan Meslier cost?
Having previously asked for £40m for the shot-stopper, the Whites are now keen to secure between £20m and £25m for the Frenchman’s signature according to Football Insider.
The Whites can afford to take a tough negotiating stance on the 23-year-old because he signed a new five-year deal back in 2021.
With this, his contract doesn’t expire for another three years and that will allow them to command a sizeable fee for his services, although it remains to be seen whether any side will come in with a bid for him.
Meslier is young for a goalkeeper but has plenty of top-tier experience under his belt already, making him an excellent asset to have for many clubs.
Should Leeds United be willing to sell Illan Meslier for £20m?
Karl Darlow is set to come in with Newcastle United and he wouldn’t have come in to play second fiddle, so it wouldn’t be a shock if Meslier does go.
If they can finalise a deal for Darlow and get him unveiled, that will allow the Whites to be more open to a sale for Meslier, because they will already have a very capable pair of hands who can start between the sticks.
Kristoffer Klaesson can also step up to the plate if required and could be a good second-choice keeper to have in the second tier, so it would make sense for Leeds to sell Meslier if they can secure a decent fee for him.
Quite a few first-teamers may have already left the club, but Roberts and Rodrigo may not have been sold for big fees and some of their other players have been sent out on loan, minimising the amount they have able to generate from player departures.
With this in mind, they may need to sell Meslier if they aren’t going to cash in on other key first-teamers, so Farke’s summer budget can be boosted. He may be a talented manager but to give him the best chance of success, he will need a good budget to allow him to put his stamp on the squad.
If selling Meslier for £20m means Farke can add more players to his squad, this is something Leeds should be open to.
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