Marseille has decided against signing Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier due to his substantial salary demands, as reported by L’Equipe.
Despite being backed by billionaire Frank McCourt, Marseille considered several candidates for the goalkeeper position, including Brice Samba, Filip Jorgensen, and Alvaro Valles, before ultimately excluding Meslier from their list.
Meslier’s experience under former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa was appealing to the French club. However, his “enormous salary,” which rivals the peak earnings of former Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, combined with Meslier’s reluctance regarding the local environment, prompted the decision to look elsewhere.
Currently, Meslier is contracted with Leeds United until 2026. He has been a pivotal figure for Leeds since his arrival in 2019, contributing significantly to their promotion to the Premier League and accumulating 107 appearances in the top flight. The question now facing Leeds is whether to retain Meslier or seek to monetize his value.
With other clubs expressing interest, Meslier’s high salary is proving to be a deterrent even for top European teams. For Leeds, keeping him might be advantageous given his experience, though financially challenging. Karl Darlow is a potential replacement, but this shift carries risks.
Ultimately, if no suitable offers materialize, retaining Meslier might be Leeds’ best option to maintain defensive stability. However, if a new deal isn’t secured by next summer, the situation could change dramatically.
