Chelsea have discovered that they can only sign Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier if he’s guaranteed a starting place at the club by the player himself. This comes after the 23-year-old Frenchman was relegated from the Premier League last season.
Chelsea Sent Message by Illan Meslier
What Illan Meslier Thinks About Chelsea Rumors
It has been reported that the Blues are likely to look for a new goalkeeper to play for them next season and they have already been linked with players like Inter Milan star Andre Onana. Meslier’s has also been reported and the 23-year-old was personally asked about his future and possible move to Stamford Bridge in a recent interview.
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He told RMC Sport: “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.”
Can Meslier Fit In at Chelsea?
Meslier had a difficult time in the Premier League last season and was not able to save Leeds from relegation. However, his first season in the division showed a lot of promise. The 23-year-old has the potential to be a great shot-stopper, but struggles somewhat with distribution, especially over longer distances. He’d be one for the Blues to develop in the future, having underperformed his PSxG against last season.
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Edouard Mendy could reportedly leave in the summer and with Kepa Arrizabalaga being quite error-prone, Meslier could strongly fight for the number-one spot at Stamford Bridge if he’s signed by them. The Frenchman, who was hailed as ‘fantastic’ by Jamie Carragher last season, was signed for around £5 million by Leeds in 2020 and has made 117 league appearances – in which he’s kept 28 clean sheets.
