Arsenal Complete Meslier Signing
Arsenal has signed French goalkeeper Illan Meslier to Emirates following the player's contract expiration at Leeds United, as per Fabrizio Romano. Medicals and official contract signing are done, and Illan will be the backup goalkeeper behind David Raya and Kepa; however, Kepa's future is still up in the air.
Why Arsenal Moved for Meslier
Illan Meslier didn’t make a single appearance over 1 year in the Premier League, but the Gunners moved quickly to secure the player’s services as they viewed him as a low-risk signing to bolster the squad.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper brings plenty of experience to the team with his 7 years at Leeds; he initially joined the Yorkshire club on loan from Lorient in 2019-20 and signed a permanent deal for £5 million in 2020 following the promotion of Leeds to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa.
Following his permanent deal to Leeds, he became the first-choice goalkeeper for Leeds in the Premier League and became the first goalkeeper under the age of 21 to record 11 clean sheets in a single Premier League season, eventually finishing the season with 11. He was the first-choice goalkeeper for 5 years at Leeds before getting dropped to third-choice goalkeeper in the 2025-26 season.
The arrival of Lucas Perri and the form of Darlow benched Illan Meslier for an entire season without a single start for Leeds.
Why Meslier Fits Arteta's System
Arsenal consider him the ideal profile to strengthen their goalkeeping options behind David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga. His ability to play out from the back, distribute accurately, and remain composed under pressure makes him an ideal modern goalkeeper for Mikel Arteta's system.