The Deadline Day clock ticks ever closer to its 5 p.m. alarm and already a flurry of deals have been accomplished by clubs aware that there will be no other transfer chance until January.
All clubs are seemingly involved in those last-hours wranglings as they jockey for position to bring in those players as being identified as likely to have a positive impact at the club. Leeds United are no different in that respect. Yet, haunted by failings of past windows, it appears that the Whites are getting their deals done in advance for a change.
The West Yorkshire club appears to have learned from these past lessons and are engaged in serious discussions to bring Arsenal youngster Eddie Nketiah to Elland Road – something projected to happen well before the approaching deadline. That capture will run alongside the signing of France Under-20 stopper Illan Meslier, a capture which is a deal already done and dusted.
Meslier, a current four-cap France Under-20 international has joined from French Ligue 2 side FC Lorient in a season-long loan deal. He was promoted to first-team duties last season, playing 28 games for FC Lorient in Ligue 2 – conceding 32 goals and keeping nine clean sheets.
Yet, in one detail that has been overlooked, there’s more to this loan move that first appears to the eye. Lorient, on their website, confirm that Meslier is on loan at the West Yorkshire club before adding that the Whites have an “option to buy” the youngster who some observers are tipping to go on to big things.
With this option in mind, it begs the question of whether Leeds United have brought the young French stopper in to act as a back-up to Kiko Casilla or as a development player for the Under-23s as first thought by many.
