Three former Leeds youngsters Bielsa should bring back in January

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Championship promotion chasers Leeds United have let a number of talented youngsters leave Elland Road, including a Sheffield Wednesday defender.

The Marcelo Bielsa experiment is going to plan. Leeds United have reached Christmas in the automatic promotion positions, with a long-awaited return to the Premier League a very real possibility for what seems like the first time in years.

But, with a hectic fixture schedule looming large, some added depth would not go amiss, particularly at the back. So maybe Victor Orta should look for a few favours from some familiar faces.

Alex Cairns

The broken leg suffered by Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman during the November international break has left Leeds short of support for number one goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell. But instead of looking at the likes of Wes Foderingham or Karl Darlow, The Whites should perhaps look to solve the problem by bringing Cairns back to where it all began.

The 25-year-old made just one league appearance for Leeds but has shone since dropping down to Fleetwood Town in 2016, establishing himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the third tier.

Cairns kept a hugely impressive 34 clean sheets in 81 games during his first two seasons between the sticks at Highbury and, with youth on his side, should only get better.

Tom Lees

Leeds’ decision to bid farewell to Lees in 2014 still looks baffling four years on.

The Birmingham-born centre-back, who moved to Yorkshire at the age of four, looked set to be a stalwart at Elland Road for years to come but, after being deemed surplus to requirements, has established himself a few miles down the road at Sheffield Wednesday instead.

Would Leeds’ 2012 Young Player of the Year get into Marcelo Bielsa’s starting XI these days? Perhaps not every week but with Gaetano Berardi and Liam Cooper prone to injuries, offering Lees a return would make perfect sense.

Oli McBurnie

Born in the city of Leeds itself and a member of their academy in his childhood days, McBurnie was released all the way back in 2010 and certainly showed his former side what they were missing earlier in the season.

McBurnie scored two clinical goals as his Swansea City side drew 2-2 with Bielsa’s visitors in a September clash at the Liberty Stadium and has gone on to score nine goals in 14 Championship appearances this season.

With Patrick Bamford somewhat injury prone and Kemar Roofe capable of playing in a deeper role if required, would McBurnie be the man to guide Leeds back to the Premier League?