Leeds United's deadline day signing Illan Meslier has opened up on his move to Elland Road, speaking about his delight of joining the 'legendary' side.
Following Bailey Peacock-Farrell's move to join Burnley in the Premier League, Marcelo Bielsa was on the hunt for a new stopper to compete with Kiko Casilla for a starting berth.
In the final day of the window, he got his man in the form of 19-year-old Meslier, who moved to Yorkshire on a season-long loan deal from French side Lorient.
The France U20 international left the second-tier French side after they made a new signing of their own but is delighted by the move to England.
“It’s a legendary club and England is always attractive. Football is a religion here. There are 35,000 supporters in every match, it’s box-to-box, but they play really well. I wanted to move there one day and I found a more interesting project than in Lorient. I went for it,” he told French outlet Ouest France.
Meslier is currently second-choice at Elland Road behind Kiko Casilla but he has admitted his goal is to take the number one jersey, fighting his way into the starting line-up to earn opportunities.
'I am a substitute and behind Kiko to learn'
“That’s the goal [to play in the Championship], but I cannot say too much about whether I’m going to play or not. I am a substitute and behind Kiko to learn. But I have just arrived," he added.
“I knew that Kiko was a great goalkeeper, who has been through Real Madrid. So, if you’re going to be behind a goalie, you might as well be a very big one.”
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