Leeds United’s transfer window has been disappointing, with several key players leaving on loan and no reinvestment in the squad.
Goalkeeper Illan Meslier, despite being only 23, has struggled and could be seeking a move away from the club before the transfer window ends.
Winger Luis Sinisterra has been omitted from matchday squads and training, indicating that Leeds may be willing to let him go, but not on a loan deal
Leeds United have had a generally horrid transfer window – but they could still oversee some departures in the coming days as their exodus continues to ravage their playing squad.
The likes of Rodrigo and Tyler Adams have departed West Yorkshire for transfer fees, but it is their exiting loan stars that have been a detriment to their plans. Jack Harrison, Marc Roca, Brenden Aaronson, Max Wober, Rasmus Kristensen and Robin Koch have all left temporarily, though that has not given Daniel Farke any money to spend, with said players set to return next year, at which point Leeds can reassess their futures.
Thus, other clubs – most notably Leicester City and Southampton – have sold their key stars but at least reinvested the money, something Leeds haven’t been able to do. Yet they could still sell TWO stars before the window ends…
The young French goalkeeper started life extremely well at Elland Road after his £5million move from Lorient, following Leeds’ promotion from the Championship to the Premier League. Almost entirely an ever-present in the Premier League, after missing just seven league games over the past three seasons, things have slowly gone from bad to worse for the Frenchman – as Leeds have slid down the table and into the second-tier.
He failed to massively impress last season by conceding goals from a catalogue of errors – including some inexplicable positioning at Goodison Park, which he allowed Seamus Coleman to net from a cross. Not only that, but a general perceived lack of awareness and commandment in his box led to interim boss Sam Allardyce selecting former Toffees stopper Joel Robles for his failed four-game-stint – and with Leeds conceding 11 goals in that quarter of games, Meslier must have been wondering what he was doing wrong.
It’s easy to forget that Meslier is only 23, and for a goalkeeper, having over 100 Premier League appearances is an extremely rare feat that will only serve him well in the future once he hits his peak. But at Elland Road, it just isn’t working out for the youngster right now despite him starting the season as Farke’s No.1.
He has been linked with a move away come the end of the window, and Meslier even admitted he could seek pastures new ahead of the deadline on September 1. He told RMC, via GFFN: “For now, I have a contract until 2026. Officially, I still belong to Leeds. I will have to think about what could be the best project, be that at Leeds or another club.
“If it is to go and be on the bench, I’m not interested in that. If it’s to be the number one, of course, you can’t say ‘I’m not interested in Chelsea.’ I’d prefer to go to a less reputable club where I’ll have more game time than a top European club where I’d sit on the bench.”
Sinisterra featured in Leeds’ first home game of the season, but the Colombian star has since been omitted from their matchday squads and banished from first-team training under Daniel Farke.
Feyenoord, Brentford and Nice have all been linked with the winger who scored five goals in 19 league games last season, though injuries didn’t help his case one iota, and Leeds suffered as a result of his time on the sidelines.
Willy Gnonto could have been used in this list as he looks increasingly likely to pack his bags from Thorp Arch, but with the Whites seemingly more willing to let Sinisterra go than the Italian wonderkid, the former Feyenoord man edges his way onto this list.
Football Insider state that the club aren’t willing to let him leave on a loan deal, which is undoubtedly the right thing to do – either get a fee for him this summer instead of another temporary deal, or use him beyond the window. Still, the latter looks unlikely as things stand.