Phil Hay has been speaking on the latest edition of The Athletic’s The Phil Hay Show about all things relating to Leeds United.
One of the topics that he spent some time on was Kiko Casilla’s future after the latest controversial incident earlier this week.
Casilla appeared to complain about the club on Instagram, only to then deny it after he was left out of the matchday squad for the Whites’ clash against West Ham United.
This led Hay to discuss what the future holds for the 34-year-old.
He said: “I think it’s been over for Casilla here in real terms since the FA charge and the suspension, in part because Meslier has been so good and is definitely concrete number-one under Bielsa, but also because the itch with Casilla and the racism charges has never really been scratched.
“My understanding is that he is a player that they were thinking of trying to move on in this summer, they are going to make changes to the squad, and I think he is somebody that they would like to replace.
“But unlike somebody like Tyler Roberts, who has a year to go and will be on a fairly modest wage by Premier League standards, and probably quite affordable if Leeds did have to pay him off to any great degree, Casilla is different; he was on a very high Championship wage anyway, there will have been an uplift and a pay rise through the terms of his contract after promotion.
“It’s an expensive deal to do. It’s expensive to get rid of him, to move him on.”
Do you think Casilla should leave the club?
Yes, he is finished
No, keep him here
TIF Thoughts on Casilla…
The Spaniard was found guilty of racially abusing Jonathan Leko in February 2020 and was banned for eight games, and since then, he has barely played for Leeds.
One of his last appearances for the first team came in the Whites’ 3-0 defeat to Crawley Town in the FA Cup, where he turned in an appalling display, so couple that with the racism charge, and it is no surprise that Leeds want to get rid of him.
We think after he was found guilty of racially abusing Leko, he should have been released then, but the Whites kept him, although it does seem like they are willing to let Casilla go.
However, his contract doesn’t expire until the summer of 2023, which means they could struggle to move him on based on Hay’s comments on the situation.