Leeds United are reportedly interested in bringing Marcelo Bielsa to Elland Road following Paul Heckingbottom’s departure.
When Alfonso Pedraza’s loan spell at Leeds ended 12 months ago, there was a sense that the Elland Road faithful had not seen the best of a player who, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the Whites could have signed permanently for £8.5 million had Garry Monk’s men been promoted.
Pedraza scored once in 14 Championship appearances for Leeds. His goal against Birmingham City was well-taken and his defensive contributions were perhaps more impressive than many were expecting, but something did not quite click in Yorkshire for the young Spaniard.
AS reported in May that Leeds wanted to keep Pedraza for another season, but Villarreal ultimately decided to send him out to La Liga rivals Alaves, where the 22-year-old proved to be an inspired signing for the club. He scored three goals and provided five assists in the top flight, and there will be some who will be expecting the Yellow Submarine to finally hand him a prolonged chance in the first-team next term.
But if Villarreal decide that Pedraza is still not in their plans, Leeds should perhaps consider making an ambitious bid to bring him back on loan this summer should they manage to pull off the remarkable move to land Marcelo Bielsa.
The Daily Mail reported that Bielsa is in talks with the Championship side about the possibility of succeeding Paul Heckingbottom at Elland Road. It would certainly be a move that would capture the imagination of the Whites fans, and a move that would prompt major changes.
The biggest change may well prove to be the introduction of a 3-3-1-3 system that will look vastly different to the 4-2-3-1 that Heckingbottom and predecessor Thomas Christiansen both stuck with during their tenures.
Bielsa’s system would arguably increase Leeds’ need to strengthen their options at left-back even further. Tom Pearce was hugely impressive during the final months of last season, but it is surely too early in his career to ask him to regularly play the left full-back role in a Bielsa side given that the full-back needs to be able to transition into the midfield with ease.
Pearce has the potential for the role in the future – he was brilliant further forward for the under-23s – but Pedraza may be the ideal player to feature in that full-back role next season if Leeds decided to make a move and managed to convince Villarreal into letting him leave for a year.
Pedraza is capable of playing anywhere down the left flank and has shown that he is just as happy getting stuck in as he is appearing in the final third to either score a goal or create a chance for his teammates. He could perhaps therefore, be the perfect player for Bielsa to put on his summer wishlist if the maverick Argentinian does end up at Elland Road.
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