Leeds United: Illan Meslier criticism emerges in Tottenham discussion

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·4 October 2023

Leeds United: Illan Meslier criticism emerges in Tottenham discussion

Highlights

Illan Meslier's decline in form has been criticised by Paul Robinson, who compares it to Tottenham's Guglielmo Vicario bid to sustain good form over several months.
Meslier's reputation has suffered over the past year, and there are reports that Leeds United may be willing to sell him in the January transfer window.
Although Meslier has been performing well in the Championship, it is unlikely that he has a long-term future with Leeds, and a move away from the club, possibly out of English football, could be beneficial for his development.

Paul Robinson has taken a swipe at the decline in form of Illan Meslier at Leeds United.

The Frenchman earned a lot of praise following the Whites’ first season in the Premier League, with the shot-stopper standing out as a key part of Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

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Leeds finished ninth in the table, conceding 54 goals in their first year back in the top flight in nearly two decades.

Meslier had helped the Yorkshire outfit earn promotion, and established himself as a Premier League calibre goalkeeper at Elland Road.

However, he was dropped in the final weeks of their final campaign in the top division, with Sam Allardyce opting for Joel Robles instead.

Meslier’s reputation has taken a blow over the last 12 months or so, with Leeds now reportedly open to cashing in on him in January.

What has Paul Robinson said about Illan Meslier?

Speaking to Caught Offside TV, Robinson has compared Meslier to Tottenham Hotspur’s new first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who has taken over the mantle from Hugo Lloris since joining in the summer.

The former Spurs goalkeeper has warned not to get too hyped over Vicario’s good form, citing Meslier as an example of someone who was unable to sustain a high level of performance over a longer period of time.

“Vicario is the future, but it’s difficult to do it over a number of months,” said Robinson, via TBR.

“We saw Illan Meslier do it at Leeds.

“He was outstanding, and people said he would be the next Hugo Lloris, but that was hard to sustain.

“It’s longevity, it’s sustainability and that’s the most important thing for a goalkeeper.”

Meslier has remained a key part of the team with Leeds now competing in the Championship.

The 23-year-old has appeared in all nine of Daniel Farke’s league games in charge this season.

Leeds will be aiming to fight for promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt this campaign.

However, it remains to be seen whether Meslier will remain at the club beyond the January transfer window.

Leeds also have Karl Darlow providing competition for the number one spot at Elland Road, but he has so far made just two appearances for the Yorkshire outfit since joining in the summer, both of which came in the EFL Cup.

Farke’s side is currently 10th in the table following last weekend’s 3-1 loss to Southampton.

Up next for the Whites is a clash at home to QPR on Wednesday night.

Does Illan Meslier have a future with Leeds United?

Meslier has performed well for Leeds so far this season, but his reputation has taken a hit by virtue of playing in the Championship instead of the Premier League.

However, a move away from Leeds in January appears a potential outcome and that could be an opportunity to get back to top flight football.

A move away from English football is possible, and could be beneficial to Meslier’s development at this stage.

The 23-year-old is still quite young for a goalkeeper and has plenty of time to build his reputation back up, but it looks unlikely that he’ll do that by staying at Leeds.