In recent comments made on The Athletic, Leeds United reporter Phil Hay discussed the future of goalkeeper Kiko Casilla.
Since joining Leeds from Real Madrid on a free transfer back in January 2019, Casilla has gone on to make 56 appearances for the Whites, conceding just 54 goals and keeping an impressive 22 clean sheets.
The ‘keeper had been enjoying a fine season once again this term, conceding 30 goals and keeping 15 clean sheets over his 35 Championship appearances.
However, the reputation of the Spaniard has been significantly marred after an FA independent panel banned the 33-year-old for eight games after ‘being satisfied’ that Casilla had used racist language towards Charlton’s loanee winger Jonathan Leko in September of last year.
As such, one fan asked Hay on a discussion The Athletic’s website what he believed would happen with the goalkeeper this summer, in response to which the journalist stated:
“There’s a very strong likelihood that he might leave. The publicity around him was very negative (deservedly in my view) and it might be that both he and the club think that it’s best for all sides to call time on his spell here. Allied to that, if [Illan] Meslier does enough to convince [Marcelo] Bielsa that he should be first-choice next season, then Casilla is an expensive player to have on the bench.”
TIF Thoughts…
Following the FA independent panel’s finding that Casilla had indeed used extremely offensive language against a fellow footballer, it would be our suggestion that Leeds United – a club who, in our opinion, are doing a lot right under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa – should do everything they can to sell Casilla this summer.
Does Kiko Casilla have a future at Leeds United?
Yes
No
As far as we are concerned, the language used by Casilla has no place in this day and age, never mind during a football match.