Man Utd and Chelsea battle for Leeds United flop

Tom Hancock

• Updated: 30 May 2023 19:53 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United and Chelsea could go head-to-head for Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier this summer.

The 23-year-old Frenchman was dropped for Leeds’ run-in – which ended in relegation from the Premier League – but has a wealth of top-flight experience for such a young ‘keeper.

Man Utd and Chelsea both seem set to enter the market for a new custodian during the upcoming transfer window – with doubts over David de Gea’s role as number one for the former, and neither Kepa Arrizabalaga nor Edouard Mendy fully convincing for the latter.

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Sam Allardyce replaced Meslier with Joel Robles for his ultimately unsuccessful four-game stint in charge at Elland Road – but the former Lorient man’s stock appears to remain high enough, with TUTTOmercatoWEB claiming that he is a potential target for both United and the Blues.

And, while it’s now unrealistic for Leeds to demand the £40m-£50m (€46m-€58m) fee they reportedly felt they could demand for Meslier before his form took a dip, the Whites may still be able to hold out for roughly £20m (€23m).

Such a sale would still represent a reasonable profit on a player they signed for around £5.5m (€6.5m) four years ago.

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Time for Meslier to move on>

Meslier has made 126 appearances for Leeds, having initially joined on loan at the beginning of their 2019/20 Championship title-winning campaign.

He was handed his debut by Marcelo Bielsa in an FA Cup tie against Arsenal in January 2020, before making his league bow the following month and cementing his position as first choice between the sticks.

Man Utd and Chelsea both have important summers ahead – with United needing to bolster their squad as they prepare to return to the Champions League, and the Blues beginning life under their latest new boss, Mauricio Pochettino, after a truly miserable 2022/23.