MOT View: Never-before-seen Leeds player could benefit from potential first-team issue
No one can say for sure what is going to happen to the players who are on loan at Leeds United if the season runs past the end of June.
Leeds have a number of players on temporary deals at the club and they are all set to end on June 30, although Helder Costa’s stay will become permanent.
One player whose loan deal is due to expire in the summer is goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who has started Leeds’ last two Championship fixtures.
Meslier has started those games because Kiko Casilla is currently serving an eight-match ban for racially abusing Jonathan Leko when Leeds played Charlton at The Valley in September.
Casilla has to sit out six more matches before he can play in English football again and in that time, Meslier is bound to start as long as he is fit and available.
However Meslier’s potential availability could be a major issue because if the Championship season doesn’t resume until the summer, the Frenchman might have returned to Lorient with games to play [LeedsLive].
If that is the case then Casilla could still be banned and Meslier could be back in France with Leeds set to play some of the remaining matches of their promotion charge.
As a result, Elia Caprile may have to step up.
Caprile, 19, was signed by Leeds in the January transfer window and has emerged as the third-choice goalkeeper by appearing on the bench while Casilla’s been suspended.
The former Chievo shot-stopper is yet to make a senior appearance for Leeds, playing only for the Under-23s since his arrival.
But, if Meslier goes back to France and Casilla’s ban runs past June 30, there’s a good chance he’ll be handed a senior debut.
In other Leeds United news, fans are saying the same thing about this player after Phil Hay’s latest update.