Emmanuel LANGELLIER, Media365, published on Friday June 28, 2024 at 12:37 p.m.
In search of a new goalkeeper this summer, Olympique de Marseille is interested in Illan Meslier, the young French goalkeeper from Leeds.
As expected, things are moving significantly at Olympique de Marseille this summer. After finishing the 2023-24 season in a disappointing 8th place, the Marseille club has found a successor to Jean-Louis Gasset, who retired at the age of 70, by agreeing with Roberto De Zerbi. While Sergio Conceiçao was the first lead, the Provençal leaders turned to the Italian who has just spent 48 hours on the Canebière. The former Brighton coach has clear ideas about the game he wants to develop and the profiles he needs to achieve his goals. So, as in recent years, the Mercato will be active during the summer at OM. Particularly in defense.
Meslier missed out on promotion to the Premier League with Leeds
Brest’s solid defender, Lilian Brassier, is very well on his way to arriving in the form of a paid loan with a mandatory purchase option for a sum of 11 million euros (with also a percentage on a possible capital gain on resale). While Leonardi Balerdi could extend and uncertainty hangs over the future of Samuel Gigot, OM could acquire a new goalkeeper. Pau Lopez is expected to leave. After three years spent in Marseille, the 29-year-old Spanish goalkeeper seems to be heading to Como, promoted to Serie A, or Monza. The big news would be that the southern club is very interested in a young Frenchman to lead the goal in 2024-25.
It is Illan Meslier according to L’Equipe. Contact has been made with the 24-year-old goalkeeper who has been playing for Leeds United since 2019. The tall 1.98m goalkeeper would be very popular with Roberto De Zerbi. Under contract until 2026, the one who was called up to the Espoirs will not play in the Premier League since his team missed out on promotion (1-0 defeat in the play-off final against Southampton) and the door could thus open for a departure. OM have also liked Brice Samba, the RC Lens goalkeeper, for a long time and are said to be studying other profiles similar to Meslier.
