Illan Meslier bids emotional farewell after Leeds United departure is confirmed | OneFootball

Illan Meslier has issued an emotional farewell after Leeds United confirmed he will leave at the end of his contract. The club said in a statement last week that the 26-year-old departs this summer, closing a seven-year stay.

The French goalkeeper arrived from FC Lorient in 2019 and established himself under Marcelo Bielsa. He made 215 appearances for Leeds, keeping 72 clean sheets across the Championship and Premier League.

The latter years were testing. Sam Allardyce dropped him during the relegation run-in, then a litany of errors saw Karl Darlow take over in 2024/25. Meslier did not feature at all in 2025/26, behind Darlow and Lucas Perri.

In a farewell message on Instagram, he thanked coaches, medical staff, team-mates and club staff, reflecting on arriving as a 19-year-old and on how Leeds, the city and the shirt will always be part of him.

He was part of the promotion-winning campaigns in 2019/20 and 2024/25, leaving as a two-time champion. He also stepped in for Kiko Casilla before promotion was sealed under Bielsa.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk