Arsenal are set to complete the signing of Illan Meslier on a free transfer after agreeing terms and completing a medical. The former Leeds goalkeeper is expected to come in as third choice behind David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga, which makes this a squad-depth move rather than a major reshuffle in Mikel Arteta's goalkeeping plans.

Fabrizio Romano told teamtalk.com: "Illan Meslier to Arsenal, here we go! Medical already done and deal sealed with former Leeds United goalkeeper. Contract also signed after medical done in London on Tuesday. Meslier said yes to #AFC project."

Meslier and his representatives were at Arsenal's training centre in Hertfordshire on Tuesday to complete the finer details and undergo a medical. On the available reporting, the deal is effectively done.

Arsenal's goalkeeping plan

The key detail here is the role. Meslier is not arriving as first choice, and he is not even being lined up as clear No. 2 at this stage. The expectation is that he slots in behind Raya and Kepa, giving Arsenal another senior option while keeping the cost down.

Kepa's status still needs a bit of care in the way it is framed. Some reporting presents his future as uncertain, while another source pushes back against the idea that anything is settled. The safest conclusion is the obvious one: Meslier's place in the pecking order could shift later in the window, but right now he looks like third choice.

That also fits the recent numbers around Arsenal's squad situation. The club have gone five from five in their last five-match sample, and Kepa's recent run includes an 8 rating. Meslier's arrival does not read like a move to replace someone in form. It reads like sensible depth.

There is a development angle too. Tommy Setford remains part of Arsenal's wider goalkeeping picture, but bringing in Meslier adds another experienced body. For a club trying to cover multiple competitions, that is a practical move even if it is not especially glamorous.

Meslier's Leeds decline

The other reason this move makes sense for Arsenal is that Meslier comes with very limited financial risk. He did not make a single first-team appearance for Leeds last season, a sharp drop for a goalkeeper who had previously been their first choice for five years before losing his place to Karl Darlow toward the end of the 2024-25 season.

His form before that slide was hardly screaming for a bigger role elsewhere. Meslier's last two recorded cup appearances were both rated 6.2. Two other late league games came in at 6.3, and one late Premier League outing was rated 4.3. Those numbers do not make him look finished, but they do explain why Arsenal can treat this as a backup signing rather than a statement.

Reports around his final Leeds spell are broadly similar even if every detail is not framed the same way. One account from Beren Cross, via teamtalk.com, described the low point like this: "Even [Farke] could not overlook the nadir of Swansea City in March 2025. In what was supposed to be another regulation win for Leeds, the Frenchman had saved a penalty, but conspired to let the visitors score twice in a 2-2 draw, with sloppy control at a corner and poor positioning for the late equaliser. That was the last time he appeared in a first-team Leeds game."

The exact presentation of that final appearance varies slightly across reports, but the broad picture is consistent enough. Meslier's Leeds career had stalled badly by the end, and Arsenal are now taking him on as a free option with a defined support role.

That makes this a pretty straightforward bit of squad building. Arsenal have moved quickly, the medical is done, and Meslier is expected to join as cover behind Raya and Kepa unless the goalkeeping depth chart changes later in the summer.

FAQ

Will Illan Meslier be Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper?

No. The current expectation is that Meslier will arrive as Arsenal's third-choice goalkeeper behind David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga. Kepa's situation is still not fully settled, but the move is being framed as depth rather than a challenge for the starting spot.

Why are Arsenal signing Illan Meslier on a free transfer?

Arsenal are moving for Meslier as a low-cost depth signing. He has completed a medical and agreed the move after leaving Leeds, and the club can add an experienced goalkeeper without paying a transfer fee. His expected role is cover behind Raya and, for now, Kepa.

Why did Illan Meslier fall out of favour at Leeds?

Meslier did not make a single first-team appearance for Leeds last season after losing his place. Reports also point to a poor ending to his Leeds spell, including a March 2025 game against Swansea that was described as his last first-team appearance for the club.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 11 outlets. How we work →