Leeds United transfer value concerns need new deal or swift PSR sale with stellar back-up in place

Missing out on promotion creates a very different set of problems to the ones Daniel Farke wanted at Leeds United this summer. While the manager would have hoped to retain his best players with Premier League football and attract top-flight calibre recruits to Elland Road, instead he must again establish who really fancies it in the second tier and who doesn’t.

It remains early in the summer. Eighteen days have passed since the Championship play-off final and the transfer window does not even officially open until tomorrow. Over the course of the past few weeks, players have either been on holiday or with their countries playing friendlies or preparing for Euro 20204 and Copa America.

Even if many managers and executives would like to click their fingers and see all their summer business done in a day, that sense of urgency is not matched by weary players or selling clubs waiting for bidding wars to kick off. As it stands, there have been no formal offers sent to Elland Road for any of their players, even the ones you are expecting to be popular with suitors this summer.

READ MORE: Why Leeds United haven’t announced their first transfer signing of the summer yet

Here, we pick through what the state of play is with the Whites squad and what the big debates of the summer could yet be, starting between the sticks.

Illan Meslier is one of the harder-to-call situations this summer. With two years remaining on his contract, United’s hierarchy will be mindful of his market value. In short, if he doesn’t leave in the coming window, there should be a meaningful conversation about a new deal.

At 24, Meslier could still be more than six years away from his peak years as a goalkeeper. There is still potential there for goalkeeping coach Ed Wootten to mine or for Angus Kinnear to pitch to prospective buyers.

Meslier had a mixed year, even if he did come away with a share of the Championship’s Golden Glove award. There were incredible saves at Leicester City, Sunderland and at home to Norwich City in the second leg of the play-off semi-final, but there were errors scattered through the season too, as recently as the first Norwich leg.

It may come down to how much work Farke et al want to create for themselves. Assuming Meslier is open to staying, he is a serviceable stopper for a promotion push. If Farke feels he can improve on the Frenchman and wants to go to the effort of moving Meslier out while chasing a replacement, it would not be a major surprise.

As a cheap recruit in 2020, Meslier would be a route to improving the profitability and sustainability picture. Behind him, Karl Darlow was signed as a bona fide contender for Meslier, but his flashes in the first team did not inspire huge confidence.

Assuming he won’t rock the boat, Darlow’s a stellar back-up option in the second tier. Kristoffer Klaesson might be ready to pursue starts elsewhere with one year to run on his deal at 23 years old.