Illan Meslier shares why he rejected move to Chelsea before Leeds switch
Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier has broken his silence on the chance to move to Chelsea before Elland Road.
Our fierce rivals made their move towards the end of the previous window, but the Frenchman eventually made a loan move to the Whites and made it permanent.
Meslier admitted that it came too late in the window to move to Stamford Bridge, and insisted he could have made that switch in different circumstances.
Speaking to Phil Hay for the Athletic, Meslier admitted that it could have been completely different if they made their move earlier.
“Chelsea agreed with Lorient and then asked me, ‘Are you ready?’ But it was 24 hours before the end of the window,” he said.
“I said, ‘No, it’s too late, man! If you’d come one or two weeks earlier then I might have said yes. I can’t sign for you so late’.”
Brilliant.
Beating Chelsea to transfers and taking their best academy talent in Lewis Bate has just become normal for us nowadays.
Meslier has the potential to easily be the best in the Premier League and broke records during his first season at this level.
The 21-year-old is only going to get better too under Marcelo Bielsa, and for £5million, it will be hard to find a better bargain in the entire division.
Paris Saint-Germain have already been tipped with an interest in the young stopper, but their signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma should keep them away for many years.
Better luck next time Chelsea, but you can watch Meslier get better and better at Elland Road for many years to come.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have been put under pressure to secure major transfer, need to act quickly – report