Newcastle United are one of three clubs that are keeping an eye on goalkeeper Illan Meslier for a potential transfer move.
The Frenchman, who has been hailed for ‘tremendous‘ saves in the past, initially joined Leeds United on loan from FC Lorient back in the 2019 summer transfer window before signing on a permanent basis just under a year later.
With 105 appearances for the West Yorkshire club under his belt across all competitions ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League match against West Ham United, the 22-year-old has kept 28 clean sheets.
Despite signing a new five-year deal with Leeds back in 2021, the shot-stopper has found himself on the radar of three of Europe’s biggest clubs.
According to a recent Twitter post from journalist Fabrice Hawkins, fellow Premier League club Chelsea and European heavyweights Bayern Munich – who are both currently competing in the Champions League – also have an interest in signing Meslier.
At the turn of the year, this season has seen the Leeds figure face 83 shots on target and save 55 of them, leaving him with a save percentage of 66.3%, which is higher than the likes of Ederson (65%) and Jose Sa (64.9%).
Having been hailed for his “magnificent” performances for Leeds earlier this season by journalist Richard Graves on Twitter, it’s clear that Meslier, who is thought to earn £30k per week, is a key figure for Jesse Marsch’s side.
In fact, his overall performances this season have earned the goalkeeper a rating of 6.79/10 from WhoScored, making him the third-highest-rated player at Leeds.
Would you take Illan Meslier at Newcastle?
Yes
No
This further showcases how important the Frenchman is to the Whites and why they would presumably be looking to keep hold of him for as long as they can.
Bearing in mind how all of Newcastle’s current senior goalkeepers are in their thirties, securing a deal for Meslier could be a smart long-term investment for the Toon to make.
Moving forward, if Newcastle sense an opportunity to sign the young goalkeeper and Leeds are willing to cash in on him, all things considered, the Toon should definitely do what they can to bring him to St James’ Park at some point.