By Pete Hanson

20th Oct, 2023 | 8:10pm

Illan Meslier January exit surely on the cards after comments from Leeds United-linked player

Amid all of the summer madness at Leeds United one of the most surprising aspects of the transfer window involved a player who did not end up leaving.

It looked for all the world that Illan Meslier would depart Elland Road following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, and even more so when Karl Darlow was signed from Newcastle United.

However, things transpired a little differently. Meslier ended up staying put and has been a mainstay between the sticks for Daniel Farke, with Darlow watching on from the sidelines bar in the League Cup.

But Swedish outlet fotbollskanalen reported on 12 October that Leeds were among the clubs looking at Mjällby AIF goalkeeper Noel Törnqvist and new comments from the 21-year-old suggested England is his favoured destination if he is to move on.

“It’s probably the Premier League and English football. You always remember when you were smaller with Saturdays at 4pm,” he said in quotes reported by Fotbollskanalen (19 October).

“You might have had a match of your own in the morning, then you met some friends and watched English football. So England is the dream destination.”

While not naming Leeds specifically, the intention to move to England is quite evident and it raises once again the question of how Farke’s goalkeeping department will shape up with the January window approaching.

Meslier is still only 23 himself but you get the feeling that realistic offers for his services would be accepted, especially with an elder statesman like Darlow ready to take over the gloves.

That would then leave a spot for Törnqvist to be signed with a view to him taking over as number one in the future.

There are obviously still a lot of moving parts with this one, but it would not be a huge surprise to see Meslier sold in January.

In other Leeds United news, staff at Elland Road want to monitor Archie Gray after recent developments.