Soccer-Arsenal sign former Leeds goalkeeper Meslier on free transfer

Arsenal have signed French goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer from Leeds United, where he made 215 appearances and kept 70 clean sheets in seven seasons.

Premier League champions Arsenal have signed goalkeeper ​Illan Meslier on a free transfer ​following his departure from Leeds ‌United, the ​north London club said on Thursday. The 26-year-old Frenchman joins after seven seasons at Leeds, where he made 215 ‌appearances in all competitions and kept 70 clean sheets.

"I'm very happy and very proud to join Arsenal. I cannot wait to show the love that I've got for this badge, ‌and I cannot wait to win trophies with this team, because this is ‌a club that needs to lift trophies again and again," Meslier said in a statement. "First of all, I want to start with the keepers, to show my levels, to continue to develop my ⁠skills, my ​ability. And then ⁠obviously to gain some game time, because this is what I missed last year."

Meslier will face stiff ⁠competition from first-choice goalkeeper David Raya, who won the Premier League Golden Glove in 2025-26. Meslier began ​his career at hometown club Lorient, graduating through the academy before making his ⁠senior debut in 2018 at the age of 18. After making 28 league appearances during the 2018-19 ⁠season, ​he joined Leeds on loan in August 2019.

The goalkeeper helped Leeds secure promotion to the Premier League in his first season in England and later made ⁠the move permanent. He went on to make 107 Premier League appearances for the Yorkshire ⁠club. Meslier will wear ⁠the number 30 shirt and link up with his new teammates for pre-season training ahead of Arsenal's opening league match against ‌newly promoted ‌Coventry City on August 21.