Phil Hay believes Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier would currently command the biggest fee at the club, with the journalist claiming he could be of interest to a Premier League rival.
Meslier is now into his third consecutive season in the top flight as the Leeds United No 1, an impressive feat for a 22-year-old, and one that has not gone unnoticed.
Indeed, it seems as though Tottenham Hotspur may be in the market for a new goalkeeper – and the Frenchman could be their man.
Having previously revealed Spurs’ interest in the Whites shot-stopper back in August, while speaking on The Phil Hay Show, the host explained that Spurs may be looking to soon replace Hugo Lloris, and that they are ‘one of the clubs’ looking at Meslier as a possible signing, which could bring in a substantial cash sum.
He said: “It’s quite interesting that, of all the clubs that are looking closely at Meslier – who I think it’s fair to say now has replaced Raphinha and [Kalvin] Phillips as probably the highest-value asset in the squad at Leeds – I suspect if clubs were bidding for everybody in the squad at Elland Road, he would be the one who would command the highest fee.
“It’s quite interesting that Spurs are one of the clubs who are looking at him because Lloris is getting into his mid-30s now. He is out of contract in 2024 and you would assume that Tottenham would now be looking at a succession plan for him.”
TIF Thoughts on Illan Meslier and Leeds…
When you look at the market value for each Leeds United player on Transfermarkt, Meslier is rated at £18m. This is lower than the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Jack Harrison and Luis Sinisterra.
However, this is only a guide, and if Spurs were desperate to land the Whites No 1 as a replacement for Lloris any time soon, they would likely have to pay way over £18m – especially if other clubs were also in for the 22-year-old, thus sparking a bidding war.
At Leeds, Meslier is the undisputed first choice, having started all possible Premier League games as well as the EFL Cup win over Barnsley. On top of that, he is a regular for the France U21 team, which would make him a natural successor to Lloris as he captains the senior French side.
Will Illan Meslier still be at Leeds by next season?
Yes
No
And we feel it is unlikely Leeds would sanction a move to a Premier League rival without demanding a sizeable sum that not only takes Meslier’s current stature into account, but his future potential as well.