Arsenal sign former Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer

Arsenal have signed Illan Meslier on a free transfer, adding the former Leeds United goalkeeper to their squad after his contract at Elland Road expired. The French keeper, 26, completed a medical and signed his deal at the champions’ London training base this week.

Meslier arrives as cover rather than competition for the starting job. David Raya stays Arsenal’s clear first choice, and Meslier is set to come in as a third-choice option. That, in turn, frees 20-year-old Tommy Setford to leave on loan and get the regular football a young goalkeeper needs.

A reset after a hard season at Leeds

The move gives Meslier the fresh start he needed. He was Leeds’ first choice for five seasons and made more than 200 appearances, but he lost his place under Daniel Farke and spent last season out of the picture entirely, slipping down the pecking order at Elland Road. Being released when his contract ran down was the obvious next step for a keeper who had stopped playing.

Low-risk depth for the champions

For Arsenal, this is sensible, low-cost business. A free transfer for an experienced Premier League goalkeeper is exactly the kind of depth a title-winning squad wants sitting behind Raya, particularly across a long season with European nights to cover. Meslier will not walk into the side, but at 26 he still has time to rebuild his reputation, and Arsenal have risked almost nothing to find out whether he can.

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