Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Leeds Live
Leeds Live
Sport
David Byrom

'Best £5m spent' - Leeds United fans make Illan Meslier and Bailey Peacock-Farrell comparison

Leeds United fans have once again hailed the club's transfer business in bringing in Illan Meslier so cheaply.

The 20-year-old was in fine form once more as he kept a clean sheet to help the Whites beat Everton 1-0, keeping the scores level before Raphinha's late winner.

It was the Frenchman's fourth Premier League clean sheet since helping the Whites to promotion from the Championship last season, replacing Kiko Casilla as number one midway through the campaign.

Meslier moved to Elland Road on loan from French side Lorient in 2019, with the deal turning into a permanent one in the summer.

Jack Charlton Stand - Emma Wilkinson speech

He was effectively a replacement for Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who departed Leeds for Burnley in 2019.

With Peacock-Farrell conceding five goals on his Premier League debut for the Clarets against Manchester City on Saturday, plenty of fans made a comparison between the two.

Posting on Reddit, one Whites supporter labelled Meslier as "the best thing that will ever be bought for £5m" - and it prompted plenty of debate among fans.

One commented: "I can’t believe we took £3m off Burnley for BPF and spent an extra £2m on spider boy. Unbelievable business."

Another added: "He’s actually quality, incredibly calm and collected for his age. Unless he gets injured there's genuinely no chance Kiko Casilla will get another look in."

A third fan backed Meslier to have a big future in international football.

"I completely agree," they said. "Ever since he's debut against Arsenal in January he's been superb.

"I thought he did look slightly shaky against Palace, however I think the whole team played poorly, rather than him specifically.

"His reflexes are great, his positional awareness is immense and we all know his distribution is second to none.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing how he develops, if he continues on his current trajectory there's no reason why he can't be France's no.1."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.