Marseille have chosen not to sign Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier due to his hefty salary demands, according to L’Equipe.
On Thursday (July 11), the daily stated in its online edition that Marseille, financed by billionaire Frank McCourt [Forbes], had considered Meslier with other contenders such as Brice Samba, Filip Jorgensen, and Alvaro Valles.
Meslier’s experience playing under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds piqued the French club’s interest, but his “enormous salary,” comparable to Steve Mandanda’s peak income, plus evident reservations about the local climate prompted the decision.
The 24-year-old’s deal with the Whites runs until 2026.
Should Leeds United retain Illan Meslier?
Meslier has been a vital player for Leeds since 2019, helping the club gain promotion to the Premier League and making 107 appearances in the English top flight.
Now that other teams are expressing interest, the key question is whether Leeds should keep him. Meslier’s wage is expensive, discouraging even top European clubs from pursuing a contract.
This might be good news for the Elland Road club, since losing such an experienced goalie could affect the team.
Karl Darlow may take over if Meslier departs, but it would be a huge gamble. Leeds must determine whether collecting money for Meslier now is preferable to maintaining him for stability.
If no good offers come in, maintaining Meslier would be the greatest option for ensuring the team’s strength following a strong defensive effort the previous season.
However, if a new agreement is not reached by next summer, the situation would change dramatically.
