Barcelona is reportedly interested in signing Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
That’s according to a recent report from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, who claims the young French shot-stopper has emerged as a surprise transfer target for the La Liga giants.
Meslier, 21, joined the Whites during the summer of 2020 following a £5.9m move from FC Lorient.
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Despite starting off as a back-up to Kiko Casilla, it didn’t take the 21-year-old long to dislodge the former Real Madrid keeper and claim the Whites’ number one jersey as his own.
Since emerging as manager Marcelo Bielsa’s first-choice keeper, Meslier has gone on to feature in 72 games, in all competitions, keeping 23 clean sheets along the way.
However, despite having a contract at Elland Road that is set to run until 2026, reports on Friday in Spain have linked the Frenchman with a shock summer move to team up with Xavi at Barcelona.
Although the outlet’s piece does not provide much information on how Barcelona plan to prize the young keeper away from Yorkshire, they do state he has a ‘market value’ of just £17m (€20m) and that could be enough to force a formal bid at the end of the season.
Fiorentina’s Bartlomiej Dragowski, Sevilla’s Yassine Bounou, Genk’s Maarten Vandevoordt and Nantes’ Alban Lafont are also understood to be on the club’s shortlist.