Tony Cascarino told talkSPORT (24/07/21 at 7:10 am) that Illan Meslier has made ‘epic’ improvements at Leeds United.
The former striker also thinks Leeds will finish around the eighth mark this season after questions over whether they can make the top-six.
During Leeds’ first season back in the Premier League, they secured a healthy top-ten finish and now they will be hoping to push into Europe.
But Cascarino cannot see the highly demanding, Marcelo Bielsa, being able to make such a jump next season.
“I think they will do well again,” said Cascarino. “I think the Bielsa ethic is incredibly demanding of everybody at the football club.
“I see it driven by a manager that is obsessed with being the very best he can be and I think he tries to produce the best teams they can be.
“I don’t think it will be a second season syndrome of going down. I don’t see that at Leeds.
On potential top-six: “The improvement in the goalkeeper was epic. I think he became a much better goalkeeper by the end of the season. I don’t quite know if a top-six finish is there for them.
“But I wouldn’t be surprised if they get to around the eighth mark.”
Whilst Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha rightly get the plaudits, a player like Meslier also has the same potential to reach the top.
All three players will want to do it with the Yorkshire side and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t keep their star men at their club, regardless of who knocks.
Leeds are no longer in the Championship, they can stick their chests out and push back into Europe, and further.
And with a keeper of Meslier’s qualities on their books, they have a player who can don their gloves for many years to come.
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