Tony Cascarino has raved about Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier in The Times.
The former Aston Villa and Chelsea striker has been impressed by the Leeds goalkeeper, and believes that the 21-year-old will get better.
The talkSPORT pundit has predicted that Meslier could become the first-choice goalkeeper for the France national football team in the future.
Cascarino wrote in The Times: “Few players in the Premier League have a more demanding job than Illan Meslier. Aged just 21, the Leeds United goalkeeper has had to master Marcelo Bielsa’s high-octane style of play which requires him to think quickly with his feet under pressure.
“He has made a fair few mistakes this season but they do not seem to have knocked his confidence. If anything, the experience has made him a better goalkeeper and with every passing week he is looking more assured. Meslier’s ability to keep cool under pressure comes from his formative years at Lorient in France where he competed in the youth cup aged 15 up against 20-year-old men.
“It is exciting to think how good he could become. Meslier stands at 6ft 6in and still has a wiry frame. As he continues to grow and develop his upper body strength, he will become an even more fearsome physical presence in the box. We are looking at the future No 1 for the French national team.”
Promising talent
Meslier has established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper at Leeds, with former Real Madrid man Kiko Casilla his back-up.
Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa would not play the Frenchman week in and week out if he did not think that he is a quality player.
True, Meslier makes mistakes and looks shaky at times, but all footballers make mistakes.
Moreover, one should not forget that the Frenchman is only 21 years of age. It is not easy for any young player to be a big figure for a big club such as Leeds.
Leeds have a real gem in Meslier, and the Frenchman is going to get better in the coming years, which is great for the Premier League club.
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