Leeds United are looking likely to win promotion to the Premier League under Daniel Farke after spending two seasons in the Championship.
The Whites have made Elland Road a fortress and have been just as devastating away from home in recent months, with a 3-1 win at Sheffield United the latest highlight of an incredible campaign.
However, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Farke’s side, with goalkeeper Illan Meslier coming in for criticism during the season after making multiple mistakes.
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The first high-profile error came against Sunderland which cost Leeds two points, then another horror show led to more dropped points away to Hull City.
Against the Blades, Meslier looked extremely shaky early on and scored an own goal, with the Frenchman in the negative for goals prevented, as per FotMob.
But who could replace Meslier at Leeds? We’ve looked at a plethora of shot-stoppers that 49ers Enterprises could target over the summer.
1 Caoimhin Kelleher Liverpool
Caoimhin Kelleher of Liverpool is likely to be a man in demand this summer. The Reds currently have Alisson Becker as first-choice and Giorgi Mamardashvili will link up with the Reds squad ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Therefore, Kelleher could be on the move. He has shown his quality at Anfield, keeping 23 clean sheets in 64 appearances. The Republic of Ireland international has won six major honours at Anfield and appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation.
2 Aaron Ramsdale Southampton
At the other end of the Premier League table are Southampton, who invested in Aaron Ramsdale as their No 1 after beating Leeds in the play-off final in 2024.
But things haven’t gone to plan for the Saints, who are on course to return to the Championship, which may result in a number of star players leaving St Mary’s.
Ramsdale, despite conceding plenty of goals, is performing better than the likes of Nick Pope and Emiliano Martinez when it comes to Premier League goals prevented, showing that in a side with a solid defensive base such as Leeds’, he could be a shrewd addition.
3 Mads Hermansen Leicester City
Another newly promoted side who may come straight back down to the Championship is Leicester City, along with No 1 goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
The 24-year-old has been among the Foxes’ best performers this season, as per WhoScored, while also having a positive goals-prevented ratio.
If Leicester come straight back down, perhaps an immediate return to the Premier League with Leeds could appeal to the Dane.
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ByRoss KilvingtonJan 29, 2025 4 Joan Garcia Espanyol
If Leeds want to look abroad for a goalkeeper target, Joan Garcia of Espanyol could be an ambitious option. The 23-year-old, who helped Spain win Olympic gold last summer, has been outperforming Jan Oblak and Thibaut Courtois in the shot-stopping stats, as per FBref.
He has also been heavily linked with Arsenal in a £20m+ transfer, but the guarantee of first-team football at Elland Road may also appeal should Leeds be promoted.
5 Vanja Milinkovic-Savic Torino
Over in Italy, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic could be another potential European target for Leeds. The Serbia international, who currently plays for Torino, was once on the books of Man Utd in 2014 and is seemingly at the peak of his powers at the age of 28.
Milinkovic-Savic has made more saves than any other Serie A goalkeeper in 2024/25 and is also near the top of the charts for save percentage, while also preventing more goals than any other ‘keeper in the division.
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ByRoss KilvingtonFeb 3, 2025 6 Conan Ledesma River Plate
One goalkeeper who was linked with Leeds during the January transfer window was Conan Ledesma of River Plate.
The Argentinian, once called “the best goalkeeper in the universe”, has plenty of experience in La Liga during his time with Cadiz, averaging a clean sheet every three games in the Spanish top flight.
At the age of 32, Ledesma wouldn’t be a long-term solution, but he appears to be a player on Leeds’ radar, and as he is second-choice at River, he could become an option even if it isn’t as a regular starter in West Yorkshire.
7 Noah Atubolu Freiburg
If Leeds want a young shot-stopper to come in and replace Meslier, Noah Atubolu of Freiburg could be their man. The Germany U21 international appears to be going from strength to strength, and recently set a record of saving four Bundesliga penalties in a row.
As we know with Meslier, his record of saving spot-kicks isn’t as impressive, and with Atubolu outperforming the likes of Gregor Kobel of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer for save percentage, he could be a shrewd signing.
8 Viktor Johansson Stoke City
Arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship at this moment in time is Stoke City’s Viktor Johansson. Picked up from Rotherham United over the summer, Johansson has continued to impress in the second tier and is the best ‘keeper in the Championship for goals prevented.
Statistically, Johansson has an Expected Goals on Target (xGOT) total of more than 55 but has only let in 44, as well as a better goals-prevented ratio than Burnley’s James Trafford. The Sweden international appears to be in his prime at the age of 26, so he may well be of interest to the Whites.
9 Guillaume Restes Toulouse
Called the second-best goalkeeper under the age of 24 in the media last year was Toulouse’s Guillaume Restes, who is still just 19 years of age.
The Frenchman has already established himself in Ligue 1, making more than 60 senior appearances for his current employers. Should Restes’ impressive rise continue, so will his price tag, but if Leeds are willing to spend their potential Premier League fortune on a new goalkeeper, he could be a smart long-term investment.
10 Michael Cooper Sheffield United
Although a repeat appears unlikely, we have seen a recent deal between Leeds and Sheffield United, with Jayden Bogle swapping Bramall Lane for Elland Road last summer.
Should Leeds win promotion and the Blades fall short under Chris Wilder, Michael Cooper could perhaps be a target for the Whites, with the shot-stopper starring after joining from Plymouth Argyle in 2024.
He has been one of the top ‘keepers in the Championship with Trafford and Johansson, and despite a lot needing to change between now and the summer, crazier things have happened.
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