“BAD NEWS— Frozen out striker and £25m flop could leave leeds united along side illan Meslier

Rephrased article:

The Leeds Press – Features
‘Frozen-out’ striker and £25m flop among those who could leave Leeds United alongside Illan Meslier
By Kwadwo Hemeng | December 18, 2025

In the weeks ahead, much of the conversation around Leeds United will centre on potential new arrivals. However, there is also a strong possibility that several players could be heading out of Elland Road.

Leeds were proactive during the summer window, moving on a number of first-team players. Some departures were driven by Daniel Farke’s tactical decisions, while others left in search of regular minutes elsewhere. Ten new signings came through the door, with mixed results so far.

Players such as Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach have slotted in seamlessly, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha have begun to show their quality in front of goal. On the other hand, arrivals like Sebastiaan Bornauw and James Justin have puzzled supporters, particularly given the money spent on players who are yet to feature consistently.

Three players who could leave Leeds United in January

As things stand, several members of the squad could be on the move before the January window closes. Limited game time and questions over their suitability within Farke’s system have placed their futures in doubt. Whether Leeds can attract suitable offers remains to be seen, but these players currently appear the most likely to depart.

Illan Meslier
The French goalkeeper has not played a single minute this season. While this outcome was largely expected, the club previously confirmed that he stayed put only because no acceptable bids arrived. Meslier is now reportedly drawing interest from Italy and could finally secure a move away.

Joel Piroe
After finishing last season as the Championship’s top scorer, Piroe’s campaign has taken a dramatic downturn. He has found himself largely confined to the bench, with Farke suggesting that although his finishing ability is unquestioned, his profile does not quite suit Leeds’ needs in the Premier League, where they do not dominate possession. His situation will be one to watch closely.

Collectively, these players still hold enough market value to generate reasonable transfer fees. However, January is a difficult window for such deals, making it unlikely that all — or even any — will move on. That said, each has been linked with exits before, and interest does exist. How Leeds United approach these decisions in the coming weeks will be fascinating to observe.