Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has worked with Lassana Diarra before – but only for a matter of weeks.
French media are claiming that midfielder Lassana Diarra is set to terminate his Paris Saint-Germain contract this month after managing just four appearances all season – and Marcelo Bielsa has to bring him to Leeds.
RMC Sport claim the 33-year-old holding midfielder is set to leave Thomas Tuchel’s side this month, after managing just 229 minutes of senior football with the French champions.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea star was set to see his contract expire in the summer anyway – but now likely to become a free agent, Bielsa should sign the 34-time France international a second time.
In his final few weeks at Marseille, Bielsa opted to lure the one-time Premier League champions to Orange Velodrome towards the end of July 2015. Less than a month later and Bielsa had left, after differences with Marseille’s hierarchy.
Diarra was barred for playing at Marseille until the end of August, meaning although he signed Diarra, Bielsa never got to watch his signing in action under his guidance.
Now a free agent, Bielsa has got to consider signing Diarra again at Elland Road in a bid to boost the Whites’ chances of achieving promotion to the Premier League from the Championship.
Captain Liam Cooper’s injury has seen Kalvin Phillips drop into centre-back – where he has struggled. But Adam Forshaw has struggled even more so in the number-four role, and holding midfield cover is needed this month.
Diarra would offer that to Bielsa’s side, as well as bags of experience that has seen him turn out for four of the world’s biggest sides in Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG. He has also played in Russia and Qatar.
On a free, Diarra would be an excellent signing both on and off the pitch – adding cover for Phillips as well as tutorship to the younger players in the dressing room.
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