Leeds United will have to make a few goalkeeping decisions, though one seems pretty clear
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
14:26, 03 Feb 2026
Illan Meslier is set to leave this summer
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Illan Meslier is set to leave this summer(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Leeds United’s transfer activity for the season is done and while the main focus is always drawn towards potential new signings, the club’s low return on players leaving is notable.
The club currently have eight players out on loan and their only two cash sales this PSR window have been the £7.7m package exit of Rasmus Kristensen and Sam Greenwood’s £3.4m departure to Polish club Pogon from over the summer.
While Daniel Farke was keen to keep hold of the core of his squad ahead of the new season, the only fringe-player exits in January were the loans of Jack Harrison to Fiorentina and future prospect Harry Gray to Rotherham United.
Joel Piroe had extensive interest but he was always clear that his intention was to stay at the club and Leeds respected that. He still has a year left on his contract come the summer.
Four others see their deals run out in June, with questions over whether they will have their contracts renewed before then. In the meantime, they can sign pre-contract agreements with overseas clubs now they have entered the final six months of their deal.
Illan Meslier
The situation is perplexing but ultimately, Meslier is set to walk out of the Elland Road doors this summer for nothing, probably having failed to play a single minute for a whole year. The time to sell him was last summer.
He did have offers but none took his fancy and it was determined he would stay. The chances of him moving in January were always low given he has failed to play, coupled with the fact that he is available for nothing in a few months anyway.
Meslier will certainly not be handed a renewal unless something disastrous happens. And as is likely, he will leave at a prime age of 26 for nothing, although there is uverified speculation that Besiktas could take a look ahead of Turkey's Friday transfer deadline.
Karl Darlow
The 35-year-old is the number one again following Lucas Perri’s demotion yet this was not how it was supposed to be. Darlow started the season as second choice with Perri acquired to be an upgrade. The Welshman, in the eyes of Farke, was ultimately not his ideal answer.
Saturday’s fumbles against Arsenal further underlined that and after the match, Daniel Farke gave comments that suggested he feels that ‘keeper upgrades were required last month. Yet still, Darlow might still be worth keeping regardless of division.
His experience cannot be denied and he is one of few goalkeepers of a certain standard who would be willing to stay as a second choice for another season. He also helps the homegrown quota, but then again so do the next two on the list.
Realistically, Leeds are not going to offload Perri this summer for a PSR loss and it is unlikely any club will pay more than the £16m he arrived for. Will Darlow want to be third choice? Probably not.
Sam Byram
Byram will go this summer, having played just seven Premier League minutes all season. Across all competitions, he has played only 84 minutes and just four since the end of August.
Byram was handed a fresh 12-month deal last summer, most likely due to the ambiguity over full-back recruitment at the time, and his Premier League experience. Yet when all players are fit, he does not make the matchday squad.
The 32-year-old is supposed to be a back-up at full-back, but the exit of Harrison led to Leeds considering a new left-back in January, despite his presence at the club. In retrospect, the club can be questioned about why he was kept on, though his fill-in cup appearances may provide one answer.
Alex Cairns
Interestingly, it is Cairns who helps to warm up the goalkeepers on a matchday, not Meslier, despite being fourth choice. While on the face of things it seems obvious to allow him to leave this summer, the 33-year-old is a presence around the squad.
An example of how to continue to put in the work despite game time being near impossible, Cairns is an influential character in the group, which should not be underestimated. Farke has always been keen to stress how important morale is.
If Darlow is unwilling to be a third-choice next season, and with Meslier going, there is a world in which Cairns is handed a new deal to help the homegrown quota as the third choice.
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Plus, his wages will be minimal. On the other hand, it would also be no shock if Leeds decided against doing this.
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