Good Morning. It's Tuesday 24th June, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Meslier expected to fly out to Istanbul later this week
Illan Meslier's time at Elland Road appears to be drawing to a close. The 25-year-old goalkeeper is on the verge of signing with Turkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahçe, ending a tenure marked by both impressive saves and costly errors. Recent reports confirm Meslier has given notice on his rental property, owned by former footballer Micah Richards, solidifying transfer rumors.
Fenerbahçe lead journalist Ekrem Konur spoke with the Breakfast Debate late last night confirming both sides are locked in talks, though a deal is expected to be done, with Meslier expecting to fly out to Istanbul later this week for a medical.
Meslier's form saw him benched by Leeds after a string of mistakes. Allegations of a fractured dressing room atmosphere, further fueled by on-field frustrations from teammates, led to manager Daniel Farke reportedly communicating with the squad via captain Ethan Ampadu. Meslier was subsequently dropped for the final stretch of the season.
His departure is expected to open the door for Newcastle's Nick Pope to join Leeds, pending Newcastle's completion of the acquisition of James Trafford.
Leeds may consider Joseph swap deal
Over the past two years, Leeds United and Real Betis have developed a strange transfer relationship, with Marc Roca and Diego Llorente joining the Seville based club in what can only be described as cut price deals. More recently Junior Firpo joined the La Liga high flyers on a free transfer upon the expiration of his contract too.
The latest chapter in this unfolding narrative involves Mateo Joseph. Real Betis want to bring the young forward back to his native Spain, however, the two clubs currently find themselves at an impasse regarding the transfer fee. Leeds are holding out for a minimum of £8.5 million, while Betis has tabled an offer of £6.9 million.
In a twist of fate, Leeds are now keen to sign Betis defender Natan, but have been quoted a hefty price tag of £38.5m. This has led to speculation that a player-plus-cash deal could be on the cards, with Joseph potentially being used as a makeweight in the transfer. Whether Leeds are genuinely interested in signing Natan, especially after completing the Bijol deal, remains to be seen.
A comparison of the stats between Natan and Bijol reveals that the two players are evenly matched. This raises questions about the valuation of Natan, with many arguing that he is grossly overpriced; however, the possibility of a player-plus-cash deal could be a possibility.
Bijol started his career as a defensive midfielder, and is more than competent in the middle of the park.
He's also comfortable with both feet, and has filled in at left-back before. Whilst this could open up a vacancy in defensive, it's highly unlikely, given the kind of money Betis are looking for.
Leeds face significant squad deficiencies, with glaring needs in goal, left-back, left-wing, attacking midfield, and up front. In this context, Natan, at the quoted price, represents a luxury the club can ill afford, regardless of his perceived quality from last season. The focus remains on addressing more pressing positional needs.
