Leeds could prove West Ham were wrong not to appoint Marcelo Bielsa when they had the chance

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Leeds United are reportedly on the verge of appointing Marcelo Bielsa as their new manager and that could leave West Ham United with egg on their face.

According to the likes of Sky Sports Leeds United are in advanced talks with Bielsa over becoming the club’s new head coach three years after being in the running to be West Ham boss.

The Argentine is currently unemployed, having been sacked by French side Lille in December after he was briefly suspended by the club following a poor run of results while West Ham have appointed Chilean Manuel Pellegrini.

Leeds dismissed Paul Heckingbottom last week and managing director Angus Kinnear has since joined director of football Victor Orta in travelling to South America to meet Bielsa.

West Ham fans are excited about their prospects under Pellegrini.

But at the potential appointment of Bielsa is being seen as one of the managerial coups of recent years given Leeds still find themselves in the Championship and the Argentine’s reputation as one of the most brilliant and maverick managers of a generation.

Adored and hailed as the world’s best coach by the likes of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino Leeds fans will be hoping he can be the man to finally get the sleeping giant back in the big time.

And in doing so Leeds could be about to prove West Ham got it wrong when they opted against appointing Bielsa back in 2015.

Following the departure of Sam Allardyce Hammers co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold had to decide between Slaven Bilic and then Marseille boss Bielsa, as reported by Sky Sports at the time.

But did the Hammers miss a trick not appointing the maverick coach after enduring a difficult first two seasons at their new London Stadium home?

Interestingly Leeds fans could be in for a real treat on the transfer front as Bielsa was credited by Sullivan as the man who persuaded West Ham to sign Dimitri Payet – arguably the best player to grace the club for a decade, as reported by the Daily Mail.