Leeds United could finally be set to purge one of their least reliable assets this summer, offloading their goalkeeper in order to usher in a new era.
Will Illan Meslier leave Leeds United?
Daniel Farke will be well aware of what needs rectifying to ensure the Whites have the best possible chance at achieving promotion. Especially given how glaring their defensive frailties have been in recent seasons, with last term even seeing them ship 78 goals in the Premier League, the most in the division.
Sam Allardyce clearly sought to solve this issue by dropping Illan Meslier, providing a huge indication as to who he thought was at fault for such horrific figures. However, he alone cannot shoulder all of the blame, but his performances did not help.
As such, reports from late last week are continuing to suggest the Frenchman will now be sold in order to fund a replacement, which could come in the form of Alexander Nubel.
The Bayern Munich goalkeeper has struggled to announce himself as a true competitor for that number one spot since his 2020 move, and could now seek to reignite a faltering career at Elland Road.
How good is Alexander Nubel?
The proposed exit of Meslier should come as little surprise, given how poor his most recent league campaign was.
Averaging a 6.65 rating, he would ship two goals per game whilst enduring a save percentage of just 58%, via Sofascore. His rating made him the eighth-worst performer of those who started five games within a squad that slumped to relegation, further emphasising that a large portion of the blame does in fact lie with the failing shot-stopper.
One of the biggest criticisms that came the way of Meslier was his lack of presence, as he would often flap at crosses to hand the opposition a lofty advantage.
Two examples spring to mind, once where his failed punch allowed Jefferson Lerma to score AFC Bournemouth's second in a 4-1 thrashing, and the second in their crunch relegation six-pointer against Everton, as the £30k-per-week dud allowed Seamus Coleman's wayward cross to find the net from an impossible angle, surrendering all three points.
Although it was a year earlier, journalist Barry Collins' summation still stands: "Meslier. Bit of a liability."
Therefore, it will be pleasing for Leeds fans to know that a truly dominant goalkeeper might well replace him, as the 6 foot 4 Nubel continues to be linked.
Having enjoyed a fine year-long stint at AS Monaco most recently, his 6.93 average rating in Ligue 1 was boosted through his 3.7 saves per game, at a 71% success rate, via Sofascore.
However, even back when he played for FC Schalke, the 26-year-old was commended for his ability to take control of difficult situations. European football expert Kevin Hatchard even claimed: "He is the captain of Schalke and a goalkeeper in his early 20s. He is a very good goalkeeper with a [Manuel] Neuer vibe about him.
“He’s good with his feet, commanding, and he’s got a bit of arrogance about him which I don’t think is a terrible thing."
At last they would regain some reliability in between the sticks, and alongside their recent defensive addition of Ethan Ampadu too, the future of their back line already looks far brighter than it has done in recent memory.