CLUB NOW WILLING TO LET GOALKEEPER LEAVE AFTER TALKS WITH LEEDS UNITED

Leeds United could now have a free run to land one of their January targets after the latest development, according to a fresh report, as Daniel Farke's side look to ensure their position atop the Championship.

Leeds flying high in the Championship

Having suffered play-off final heartbreak last season and seen their squad picked apart over the summer transfer window that followed, Leeds have bounced back stronger this season.

As it stands, Farke's side are on course to be crowned champions come the end of the campaign, though back-to-back draws have cut their lead at the top to just a single point, with both Sheffield United and Burnley breathing down their neck as they look to secure an automatic promotion spot of their own.

All this comes with the caveat of major injuries which the club have suffered in midfield, with both Ethan Ampadu and Illia Gruev missing large chunks of the season with knee problems.

They have another problem though, in the shape of goalkeeper Illan Meslier. The Frenchman has endured a torrid campaign to date, and ranks 25th out of 40 keepers for goals prevented in England's second tier so far this season, while ranking ninth for save % despite having faced the third fewest shots on target (of goalkeepers playing more than 10 games).

A pair of errors against Hull City saw his side drop two points, and Farke pulled no punches after the game.

"It's fair to say he had a poor game against Hull and his mistake for the second goal was decisive," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds. "There were a few games where he could have and should have done better. There were perhaps one or two strikes where you would expect a player of his calibre could save it when he is on the top of his game."

Now, their hopes of landing a replacement for the Frenchman have just been boosted.

Leeds transfer target free to leave

Earlier in the transfer window, it had been reported that the Elland Road outfit had held discussions over a move to sign Conan Ledesma from River Plate, and now a fresh update has fuelled that fire even more.

That comes as Pasion Futbol [via Sport Witness] report that River Plate boss Marcelo Gallardo is now willing to let Ledesma leave this winter in search of first team football, with the 31-year-old shot stopper having managed just four appearances so far this campaign.

The goalkeeper, who was once dubbed "sensational" and "world class", still has three and a half years left to run on his £16,000 a week deal in Argentina, but it is added that he could "consider leaving River Plate and returning to Europe", with Leeds "very interested" along with clubs from across LaLiga, where he spent much of his career.

Do Leeds need to upgrade on Meslier, or should Farke trust him to come good between now and the end of the season?

2025-01-11T05:45:35Z