"I'm told" - Leeds United transfer claim emerges involving Illan Meslier | OneFootball

Leeds are said to be considering their options in the goalkeeping department

Leeds United are said to be on the look-out for another man between the sticks in the January transfer window.

That's according to former Manchester United chief scout, Mick Brown, who has been speaking to Football Insider regarding the Goalkeepers Union at Elland Road after Illan Meslier's well-publicised error against Sunderland last Friday.

The Frenchman has been a mainstay in the side in recent years after replacing Kiko Casilla as United's number one goalkeeper in 2020, and was one of the more high-profile names who have stuck around in West Yorkshire despite the club's current predicament in the Championship.

Meslier had been linked with moves away both last season and this summer, but his recent mishap at the Stadium of Light has seen the former FC Lorient man come under scrutiny from Leeds supporters and those on the outside.

Meslier was linked with a potential return to France this summer, before it was reported by L'Équipe - relayed by SportWitness- that Marseille felt a deal between themselves and Leeds wasn't financially viable, before the 24-year-old was made a vice-captain by Daniel Farke.

However, in the opening nine games of the league campaign, the Whites' goalkeeper's performances have already come under the microscope for varying reasons, having come in for criticism against Portsmouth and the Black Cats, but also making a pivotal save to deny Joe Rodon the embarrassment of scoring an own goal against Norwich City.

But, the aforementioned Brown, who was also employed by the likes of Aston Villa and West Ham, has claimed that Leeds will be looking at potential targets in this department.

“I’m told they’ll certainly be looking at their (goalkeeping) options,” he began. “Meslier represents, to me, what Leeds United have become. I think they’re totally inconsistent."

“They’re all over the place at times, got left-backs playing centre-forward and all of this, and it leads to some really frustrating results for them."

“Part of that is the defence having a goalkeeper behind them who gives them confidence," Brown continued.

“They need somebody who comes to claim crosses and makes saves you don’t expect of them.

“But if, all of a sudden, he’s throwing one into his own net, it just leads to more nerves and inconsistency within the team and the back line," he stated.

“Leeds have been like that for four or five years now and that’s why they didn’t get promoted last season.

“That incident with Meslier – you’d never see that coming, but it happens. That’s Leeds at the moment," the former Manchester United figure added. “If it wasn’t him, it would be somebody else making a silly mistake."

“But that’s why they’re definitely going to be considering their options because having that solid and consistent goalkeeper would do them a world of good.”

Leeds United will stick with Illan Meslier as their starting goalkeeper

Despite Brown's claim regarding the potential for United to assess their current goalkeeping options, it would be pretty rash for them to do so based off one individual mistake.

Of course, Meslier isn't undroppable, but Leeds do have Karl Darlow as a more-than adequate understudy to the former French youth international, as the former Newcastle United man brings a wealth of second tier experience, meaning it would feel slightly over-the-top if the club were to acquire yet another option in the forthcoming transfer window.

Despite the occasional mishap, Meslier's overall performance with Leeds in the second tier reads 31 clean sheets in 62 matches, which included a joint season-high alongside West Bromwich Albion's Alex Palmer, and five so far this campaign.

Football Insider reported after the 2-2 draw on Wearside that Farke has no plans to axe the man who has made over 180 appearances for the club from the starting eleven after the error, which will give Meslier a welcome confidence boost for the games which follow the October international break.