Leeds hope to pull off Bielsa coup
LEEDS UNITED have made an ambitious move for Marcelo Bielsa — having sacked Paul Heckingbottom after just four months in charge.
Sportsmail understands that negotiations with the 62-year-old Argentine are under way and a decision could be made by the end of the weekend. It is also understood that Heckingbottom would not have been dismissed on Friday — during a holiday with his family in Greece — if Leeds were not close to confirming his replacement. Leeds managing director Angus Kinnear is believed to have travelled to Argentina last week. Former Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Argentina and Chile boss Bielsa would become Leeds’ 11th manager in just over five years. Heckingbottom lasted 115 days in charge. Leeds paid £500,000 in compensation to take the Yorkshireman from local rivals Barnsley after dismissing Thomas Christiansen in February. But Heckingbottom won just four games and Leeds dropped to 13th in the Championship. Owner Andrea Radrizzani had serious misgivings over the direction that the 40-year-old was taking the club. Bielsa has been called ‘the best coach in the world’ by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino called him his ‘football father’ last year. Radrizzani is also an admirer of former Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri, who is unemployed after leaving Nantes this summer.