'They're tempted...' - Leeds now having behind-scenes talks over replacing 2021 signing

Leeds United are discussing signing further cover and competition for Illan Meslier during the summer transfer window, The Athletic’s Phil Hay reports. 

Last summer, Leeds paid £1.8million to sign Kristoffer Klaesson from Norwegian outfit Valerenga, and he penned a four-year deal that earns him £15,000 per week.

His one and only appearance for the first team came as a substitute in the 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers after Meslier had to go off injured.

Aside from that, he largely turned out for the Under-23s, playing 21 times at Premier League 2 level.

Leeds will have Kiko Casilla returning from his loan at Elche, but Hay has described his performances in Spain as ‘very underwhelming’.

‘There is a discussion going on at Leeds at the moment’, Hay says, over the composition of the goalkeeper ranks next season.

‘They’re tempted to bring in’ a back-up option who’s more experienced than Klaesson.

That would see the Norwegian drop down to third in the pecking order for the moment.

He told Leeds fans that ‘it’s something to keep an eye on’ in the coming weeks, with the transfer window due to open officially on Friday.

Leeds’ goal may be to recruit someone who can apply genuine pressure to Meslier.

The Frenchman won Leeds’ Young Player of the Year Award following their first season back in the Premier League, but last term was something of a struggle.

Meslier conceded 7.8 goals more than he ‘should’ have, going by post-shot expected goals. That was the worst record of all the ‘keepers who featured in last season’s top flight.

They may not see Klaesson as a genuine competitor to Meslier at this stage of his career, with just 56 senior top-flight games under his belt.

If Meslier knows there’s a genuine prospect of losing