Report: Leeds United set to complete signing of £5m-rated prodigy

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Leeds United are set to turn Illan Meslier’s loan deal into a permanent transfer and are preparing to pay Lorient their asking price for the player, according to The Mirror.

According to Ouest France, the goalkeeper will cost Leeds £5 million and would have become permanent had the stopper played 10 times for the club anyway.

With Kiko Casilla currently serving an FA suspension, it seems almost certain that Meslier will reach the required amount of games.

The 20-year-old has played twice in the Championship this season and unless he gets injured the nine games left his season will take him to 11.

Meslier has proved a capable stopper during the early days of his career at Elland Road.

He is steady at most things, with his strongest attributes including the commanding of his area and superb agility.

Meslier is yet to concede a goal in the Championship for the Whites who are closing in on a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2004.

Preparation

Although Leeds have been in a dominant position before and failed to win promotion, this season does seem different.

The squad boasts real quality right now and but for a mini-blip, they have been the most consistent team in the league this season.

Meslier is young, determined and has shown during his short time at the club that he could become a star of the future.

The Frenchman might face some competition from another goalkeeper in the Premier League but this would be a shrewd addition.

Leeds will need to be well-stocked in the top-flight and Meslier is more than capable of backing up a more senior goalkeeper.

Getting him over the line is a very decent start to next season which seems almost certain to be in the Premier League.