Two of Leeds United's biggest transfer sales came in the summer of 2022, as Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha departed for Manchester City and Barcelona respectively.
Victor Orta would oversee both of those eye-watering sales, which overtook Rio Ferdinand as the record departures from Elland Road in Leeds' history, but the Spaniard may be about to seal another transfer masterclass with the sale of in-demand goalkeeper, Illan Meslier.
Could Leeds sell Meslier this summer?
The French shot-stopper recently became the youngest goalkeeper in history to reach 100 Premier League appearances and despite Leeds' disappointing goals against record in the top flight, it seems as if he is attracting bigger suitors ahead of the summer transfer window.
While only Bournemouth have conceded more goals than the Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League so far this term with 57, only five goalkeepers have made more saves than Meslier, so it is perhaps easy to see why the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all been linked with him.
According to Football Insider, the 23-year-old will quit Elland Road this summer should Leeds suffer relegation to the Championship, but the Peacocks are under no pressure to sell after he signed a new five-year deal in 2021, and have planted a £40m price tag on his head.
Considering he was brought to the club from FC Lorient for just £5m after impressing in a loan spell during the 2019/20 Championship title-winning season, his sale could represent a huge profit for Leeds, even if fans are disappointed to see the promising young 'keeper depart.
As both Ferdinand and Phillips would come through the academy at Elland Road, the only comparable sale is that of Raphinha, who joined Spanish giants Barcelona for an initial £49m last summer, which represented a £32m profit on the £17m Leeds had paid in the summer of 2020.
The Brazilian was a sensation in his two-year stay at Leeds, notching 17 goals and 12 assists in all competitions, but Meslier's sale could now surpass the former Rennes man's legacy at Elland Road, as if he were to leave for £40m, it would be the biggest profit on a signing in Orta's time as director of football.
While he has undoubtedly made some top saves in his time at Leeds and can be considered a "rare talent" in the words of Phil Hay, he has also conceded 2.81 more Premier League goals than expected this season, so to sell him for £40m would surely represent an incredible deal for the Yorkshire outfit.
