Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
...BUT BOSS STILL NOT CERTAIN TO STAY
BY ROSS HEPPENSTALL
MARCELO BIELSA is refusing to even think about bolstering his Leeds squad this summer – as huge uncertainty persists over his own future at Elland Road.
The Argentine boss has been lauded as a saviour by Whites fans after last year guiding them back to the Premier League to end a 16-year absence. Tomorrow night’s visit of Liverpool will see Leeds bid to register a fourth straight top-flight win for the first time since 2001.
They are also seeking to secure their first top-half finish in the Premier League since they claimed fifth spot in 2001-02. Yet Bielsa this week shot down reports from his native Argentina claiming he has already agreed a two-year contract extension with the Whites.
And when pressed about his recruitment plans, with just seven games of the campaign remaining, the 65-year-old was noncommittal.
Bielsa said: “When a season hasn’t finished, the arguments to establish modifications in a team, we haven’t managed to gather all the arguments in their fullness. It is always best to let the campaign finish.”
Leeds could be forced to get the chequebook out this summer and hand improved deals to Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha to ward off potential suitors.
Despite winning at championselect Manchester City last time out, former Argentina boss Bielsa still
claimed his side had failed to match the Premier League’s elite clubs.
He said: “We haven’t been able to play as equals against the traditional top six. To anticipate when this will happen is not prudent. These types of things, more than announce them, you have to demonstrate them – and we haven’t managed it.”
Leeds have taken four points off
Pep Guardiola’s side this season, but were thumped 6-2 by Manchester United at Old Trafford in the run-up to Christmas.
Bielsa insisted: “From our results or performances against the traditional top six this season, only against Arsenal, in the first half of the home game, were we able to play as equals. In the game against
Manchester United, we did not deserve a better result.
“Perhaps, the margin should not have been so high, but they deserved their win and it was the same at Tottenham.
“The two Chelsea games were difficult. The draw we deserved, but in a game they dominated, we did not deserve to win it.”