3 goalkeepers Leeds United should target this month amid Illan Meslier woes | OneFootball

FLW outline three goalkeepers that should be on Leeds United's January shortlist amid the poor form of Illan Meslier.

Illan Meslier has been Daniel Farke's go-to goalkeeper since his arrival at the club, featuring in almost every Championship fixture over the last two seasons; but patience has worn thing with many Leeds United fans.

Heading into the season, it looked as though he would continue to do so for the whole season as the new vice-captain, but recent developments have perhaps highlighted that Leeds clearly have an issue between the sticks with Meslier, who has made high-profile errors against Portsmouth, Norwich City, Sunderland, and Preston North End already this season.

The latest came against Hull City over the weekend, with Meslier coming under increased scrutiny after his high-profile errors left his teammates visibly frustrated by further incidents which allowed Hull a route back into the contest on Saturday afternoon, with the game eventually ending in a 3-3 draw.

It could be Leeds' undoing in a season of fine margins in the race for automatic promotion, and it hasn't been the first scenario where Leeds fans have been calling for the Frenchman to be dropped, with many fans saying his career continues to regress after his impressive start in West Yorkshire at a young age

There is no doubt that he is one of the weaker links in the starting line-up and lacks consistency, which is something they may wish to address in January. He once had undeniable potential, but his weaknesses as Leeds' first-choice goalkeeper are becoming hard to ignore. There is no doubt that he is one of the weaker links in the starting line-up and lacks consistency.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke is holding out for a quiet January window following hectic activity in the summer, which saw Leeds welcome a number of fresh faces while losing many prized assets, including Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray.

But Meslier's inconsistent form and shot-stopping ability, while capable of producing spectacular saves, is undermined by lapses in concentration and poor handling, which have led to avoidable goals. A parting of ways is not very likely in January, but it is something to consider if his form is maintained, but competition could also be the answer.

He still has time to improve and get back on track, but Leeds’ defensive stability demands a more reliable and commanding presence in goal, and Meslier hasn’t consistently provided that yet. He now has to be of concern for the club behind the scenes, in both the long-term as No.1 and short-term, regarding their promotion ambition and whether his position is tenable.

If it is something they may wish to address in January and if it is an issue they feel could derail their season, then they will need a shortlist of readily-available options who could come in and make an impact. We have taken a look at THREE, here.

1 Carl Rushworth

The Whites still sit top at the Championship summit, but Meslier’s errors leading directly to goals have cost Leeds points so far this term, points which would have given them a healthy lead for a return to the Premier League if they hadn’t been made. They need a more reliable goalkeeper at the fundamentals first-and-foremost, which could well be Karl Darlow.

Although continuity is the key to promotion in many areas, especially for the players that took Leeds to the cusp of promotion in 2024, neither Meslier or Darlow have the comparable quality of James Trafford or Michael Cooper, which is why Carl Rushworth is a player worth considering, having shown a higher level than either in the second tier recently, and at a young age.

The current Hull loanee is a product of the Brighton academy and has seldom featured for Hull, with Ivor Pandur maintaining his spot as No.1 for Tim Walter and Ruben Selles, amid a serious injury to the young Englishman, which has all no doubt been a frustration to both Rushworth and his parent club.

The recent Swansea City loanee is simply too good to be wasted on a bench of a Championship side, and he is also at an age where regular game time for his development is required. It is contingent on Meslier's form continuing, but should it do so and Rushworth becomes available via a recall, then some sort of deal could be struck in January for him to move from East to West Yorkshire to further his education and improve Leeds' primary stopper.

Rushworth could be an upgrade on the Frenchman in reliability and consistency terms after a fantastic season in South Wales. The goalkeeper won the Swans' Player of the Season award, and he has also starred during previous loan spells with both Walsall and Lincoln City in the EFL, and was perhaps hoping for a move to the Premier League or to a side challenging for promotion out of the second tier.

Not only that, but he was born and raised in nearby Halifax, so the familiarity of West Yorkshire could help him to settle in quicker. Leeds should be keeping tabs on his situation as he is destined for a high level one day and a loan to Leeds could be beneficial to both him and Leeds, with a promotion on his CV an ideal thing to have for his next steps during summer 2025.

2 Mark Travers

Bournemouth's Mark Travers is one alternative option they could consider. Travers has struggled for regular minutes at the Vitality Stadium in recent years, and he made just seven appearances for the Cherries last season, but he did play a crucial role in the club's promotion from the Championship in the 2021-22 campaign.

During that spell, he kept 21 clean sheets in 46 appearances in all competitions. That experience could make Travers the perfect fit for the Whites, but they may need to move quickly to secure his signature as there will likely be plenty of Championship suitors interested in January.

Travers would give Meslier and Darlow great competition if they ended up being the three between-the-sticks options, and the Cherries probably wouldn't mind making a bit of profit from an academy player if the opportunity presented itself and Leeds pursued a permanent deal. Alternatively, a loan could be the perfect short-term stop-gap for Leeds if they are looking for a reliable upgrade.

It will be interesting to see whether the Irishman is made available again by the south-coast side this window, as he would be an excellent loan signing for multiple Championship clubs in the January 2025 transfer window due to his proven shot-stopping ability, solid distribution, and experience in the Premier League and Championship.

As a versatile goalkeeper, he has demonstrated resilience and composure under pressure as well, which is perhaps where Meslier needs to be taken out of the team for his confidence as much as anything else. Those traits in Travers make him well-suited to the demanding nature of the Championship.

In terms of goalkeeping abilities, Travers' agility and strong reflexes would add depth to any team in need of a reliable number one, while his experience could be invaluable for a side pushing for promotion. It's one Leeds must consider if the availability is there.

3 Daniel Iversen

One Premier League player who has been touted as a target under consideration by Championship clubs during the summer, but who has stayed put, and now should be well worth pursuing, is Leicester City goalkeeper Daniel Iversen.

He has been reliable at Championship level before and was particularly excellent at Preston North End. Not only this, but his contract at Leicester expires this summer and, with that in mind, a cut-price deal could be negotiated to bring him to Elland Road on a permanent basis.

While he has never established himself as a regular with the newly-promoted Foxes, he has previously impressed in the Championship on loan with Preston and Stoke City. Iversen was a key influence at Stoke in the second half of last season with seven clean sheets to his name, taking his overall tally to 29 in total across 87 Championship games.

His contractual situation makes a January deal even more feasible, but after being linked with a switch to Derby County in August, Leeds and others will have to act fast for a player that is likely to be in-demand this winter. His fundamentals in shot-stopping terms make him an attractive proposition, especially being so far down the pecking order with Leicester behind Mads Hermansen and Danny Ward.

Having also recorded save percentages of 71.3 percent (20/21) and 69.6 percent (21/22) across his two separate campaigns with North End, Iversen evidenced his reliability at second tier level to impressive effect. Leeds do not need a world-beater, but someone with the competency to be consistent if not spectacular.

He's struggled to carve out a meaningful role as a Leicester player, and is wasting his career without a move this winter. This could be Leicester's final chance to net a fee for him, which you would imagine they will be keen to do.