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‘Universally beneficial’: Journalist’s two-word verdict on Kiko Casilla’s Leeds exit
Two and a half years on from his free transfer from Real Madrid, Kiko Casilla has finally left Leeds United.
The Spanish goalkeeper’s time in England was tumultuous.
It is not very often that Championship sides, as Leeds then were, sign players from Real Madrid, but that’s what happened ().
The Spaniard didn’t have the best of times at Elland Road, although, managing 62 appearances in two and a half years ().
He also made crucial mistakes in the 2018/19 play-off semi-finals against Derby as the Whites failed to win promotion in Bielsa’s first season in the Championship.
During his spell at Leeds Casilla was found guilty of using racist language towards Jonathan Leko and was served an eight-game ban ().
Finally, though, the goalkeeper made his exit, on loan to Elche () in July, and in Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Post’s end of window review he gave a short yet damning verdict on the Spaniard.
Smyth described Casilla’s exit as “universally beneficial”, a statement impossible to argue with and wasting as little time as possible talking about the player ().
Fortunately, Leeds’ signing of Illan Meslier has meant that Casilla saw very little game time last season, and in Meslier the Whites have got a fantastic goalkeeper for years to come.
The 21-year-old played 35 times last season in the Premier League, keeping 11 clean sheets, as the Frenchman shone during his debut campaign in the English top flight.
As Casilla left, a new substitute goalkeeper was required at Elland Road.
That saw the signing of Kristoffer Klaesson from Norwegian side Valerenga (), as Marcelo Bielsa’s side looks to move on from their time with Casilla at the club.