Leeds United will be a lot more focused on incomings than outgoings this summer after their return to the Premier League, but there is one player’s future that still needs sorting.
There have previously been calls for Kiko Casilla to be sacked in the wake of his racism charge, but that doesn’t seem all that likely, considering he’s since come back into the first team, starting Leeds’ game against Derby towards the end of the season.
However, despite Casilla looking unlikely to be sacked by the club, Phil Hay believes his days at Elland Road could still be numbered.
What’s been said then?
The journalist answered a number of fans’ questions in a Q&A on The Athletic this week, and as expected, one supporter queried about Casilla’s future, to which Hay responded:
Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below
“We’re waiting to find out with Casilla. It was interesting that Bielsa decided to use him at Derby because it suggested that, in his mind, Casilla is not necessarily done. But I still think there’s a chance he’ll go,” Hay wrote.
“Casilla’s reputation has taken a big hit in England. I know that Leeds have long been interested in Emiliano Martinez but sadly he’s flavour of the month at Arsenal. They’ve also looked at Angus Gunn (Southampton) before and that was a name which cropped up again last week. Whatever happens, there’s a very good chance Illan Meslier will start as No 1.”
Has to go
It’s understandable that fans wanted him sacked after his racism charge as there is no place for that sort of behaviour in football, but even when you put that to one side, it may still be time for Casilla to move on.
He made a string of errors this season, notably against Wigan, Nottingham Forest and Brentford, and with Illan Meslier keeping seven clean sheets in 10 league appearances, you have to wonder if he’d even get a game.
Add into this that Casilla is one of Leeds’ top earners, with only Helder Costa and Patrick Bamford being on a higher weekly wage at the start of the season, and his departure begins to make a lot of sense.
