Manchester United are reportedly scouting Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier, with the club regarding him as the best young goalkeeper in the Premier League.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Manchester United had sent scouts to watch Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier in action earlier this week during the Whites’ Premier League clash against Manchester City.
Meslier came through the ranks at French club FC Lorient and made 30 senior appearances for the club after breaking into the first team at the age of 18. The shot-stopper joined Leeds United in the summer of 2019, arriving on a season-long loan deal with an option to make the transfer permanent.
While he was not a regular at first, Meslier played a key role in the Whites earning promotion back to the Premier League, post which he was signed permanently. The 21-year-old enjoyed an impressive maiden campaign in the English top-flight, helping Marcelo Bielsa’s side finish in the top ten, 16 years after returning to the competition.
The French Under-21 international has impressed in bursts this season and has seemingly managed to catch the eye of Manchester United. The report claims that the 20-time English champions regard Meslier as the best young goalkeeper in the country at the moment and have been keeping tabs on him.
Manchester United chief scout Jim Lawlor is believed to have watched the Leeds United custodian in action on a few occasions while the Red Devils had sent goalkeeping scout Tony Coton to check out the 21-year-old during their game against Manchester City earlier this week. It turned out to be a forgettable outing for Meslier, who ended up shipping in seven goals on the night.
Nonetheless, Manchester United see the Frenchman as a target for their goalkeeping department in the long run. The Mancunian giants have David de Gea and Dean Henderson vying for the first-choice spot at Old Trafford, while Tom Heaton is a more than reliable third-choice stopper for the Red Devils.
However, Henderson’s situation has been a bit of a concern for United as the Englishman is believed to be considering his future at the club, having failed to claim the No. 1 spot for himself. Furthermore, de Gea’s contract runs out in eighteen months, although the club retain the option of extending his deal by another year.
Should the current goalkeeping situation at Old Trafford change in the summer of 2022 or the year after that, Manchester United would consider Meslier as an option. Apart from the Leeds United ace, they are also keeping tabs on PSG stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma. For now, though, there is unlikely to be any movement on this front.
