Kiko Casilla is currently serving an eight-game FA ban, he is two games into that. He’s a good keeper but the noises coming from many think that his racial abusing of Jonathan Leko has essentially finished him at Elland Road. There is interest in him back in Spain – something The72 covered here. Yesterday, Phil Hay, in a Q&A article on The Athletic, mentioned that Leeds United was looking at a Premier League keeper.
Casilla’s ban really has rocked the boat at Elland Road when it comes to the goalkeeper situation. He is two games into his eight-game ban and there are only nine games left of the season. This is a season that is likely to get back underway sometime around June 20.
Answering a question about Casilla and his position at Leeds, Hay was quick to reply. He said: “My gut feeling is that they’ll replace Casilla. I’m not sure he’d be that keen to stay himself after what’s gone on in the past six months. I was told today of a Premier League keeper who Leeds are looking at closely. Need to check it out a bit more but I strongly suspect they’ll be on the look-out – as well as taking Meslier permanently.”
That news, that Leeds United are looking at a Premier League stopper obviously widens the debate on Casilla’s future at Elland Road. With United looking at ‘a Premier League keeper’, here are five options that they could consider.
Five Premier League keepers for Leeds United to consider
Karl Darlow (Newcastle United): Darlow was a keeper that some Leeds United fans wanted bringing in when Newcastle United were promoted from the Championship. He’s served as back-up to Martin Dubravka this season and has seen no Premier League game time at all. He has featured for the Toon in the FA Cup (four games) and EFL Cup (one game) this season.
Joe Hart (Burnley): There has been a lot of noise supposedly linking Hart to Leeds United. Like Darlow, he has been an understudy this season, to Nick Pope. Like Darlow, he has been the Clarets go-to keeper in cup competitions. He has featured in the FA Cup (two games) and EFL Cup (one game), conceding seven goals across the three fixtures.
John Ruddy (Wolves): Ruddy is another stopper whose current deal is up this June and who has played second fiddle at his current club, Wolves. He’s not featured in the Premier League but, like the above duo, he has featured in the FA Cup (two games) and EFL Cup (two games). He was also between the sticks for Wolves’ Europa League Qualifying tie plus one Europa League game. Other than that, he’s been on the bench behind big-money buy Rui Patricio.
Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United): Fabianski’s deal runs to next year and the former Arsenal and Swansea stopper has had regular game time for the Hammers this season. He’s featured in 16 of West Ham’s games in the current campaign, conceding 22 times and keeping five clean sheets. The only games he missed were between early October and late-December with a hip injury.
Sergio Romero (Manchester United): Perennial Red devils back-up Romero is another stopper whose current deal runs out next year. With de Gea obviously the first-choice at Old Trafford, and with Dean Henderson continuing to shine on loan at Sheffield United, Romero could find himself as a third-choice at Old Trafford. He’s been active for the Mancunians this season with seven games (one conceded/six clean sheets) in the Europa League, four games (four clean sheets) in the FA Cup and three games (two conceded/one clean sheet) in the EFL Cup.
