Leeds United signed Illan Meslier on a loan deal from Ligue 2 side FC Lorient on deadline day.
After completed his temporary move to England, which comes with a buying option, the 19-year-old explained his own plans were not in line with what he was offered at the French club.
In addition to this, new Lorient manager Christophe Pelissier’s decision to make Paul Nardi the new No.1 also convinced him to leave the Ligue 2 side for Leeds.
Marcelo Bielsa has used Kiko Casilla as his first choice keeper this season and Meslier is forced to settle for a place on the bench.
He is yet to make his debut for the Whites and despite the current situation, he admitted in September that he would prefer to be at the Championship side over Lorient.
Pelissier, on the other hand, believes Meslier should have continued at Lorient.
“Like Julien Ponceau, they are young professionals who did not experience too many difficulties in their early career. Illan, I think, quickly became number two, then number one,” the Lorient manager told Le Télégramme.
“He made a very good start before having a more delicate end to the season. I think at his age he had every interest in staying here, working with a very good goalkeeper coach and a very good number one goalkeeper.
“For me, he would have progressed. Especially since this is the first time I had given a second choice keeper the assurance to play the Coupe de la Ligue and the Coupe de France. Which I never do.”
When further quizzed if Meslier’s decision to move to Leeds United surprised him, Pelissier said: “Yes. Because for me, in the face of the obstacle, there are two types of attitude, confronting or bypassing it. He has bypassed it.
“Perhaps he is right, we will see the rest of his career. But as a coach, I was surprised and disappointed.”
