Granada manager Diego Martinez has left the La Liga outfit amid claims that he could be a successor for Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United.
There are some rather striking similarities between the jobs Martinez and Bielsa have done in recent years.
While the enigmatic Argentine was shuffling through the doors at Elland Road during the summer of 2018, Martinez was taking over at Granada following a difficult spell at Osasuna.
Three years later, both the Argentine and the Spaniard can be considered living legends in West Yorkshire and Andalusia respectively.
Martinez even went one better than Bielsa, guiding Granada to promotion at the first time of asking before securing European qualification a year later, despite being the youngest manager in La Liga at the time.
No wonder the Nazaries were desperate to retain the services of a 40-year-old coach who took an unfancied, unfashionable side to the quarter-finals of the Europa League during their first ever foray into continental competition.
No such luck.
Martinez walked away with his head held high on Thursday, deciding against renewing his contract at the Nuevo los Carmenes.
“The Board of Directors has shown Diego Martinez its desire for him to continue on the Granada bench and put all its determination into achieving it, but respects the coach’s decision and thanks him for his honesty,” reads a statement on their official website.
“Granada also wants to thank the coach and his entire coaching staff for their effort, professionalism and successes throughout his career at the head of the team, which has led the Club in three seasons from LaLiga SmartBank (second-tier) to seventh and ninth place in LaLiga Santander, a Copa del Rey semi-final and the first European qualification in the Club’s history, reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League.
“The name of Diego Martinez will be forever linked to this entity and Granada CF is and will be his home.
“Thanks, mister.”
Onda Cero reported a month ago that Martinez was one of the leading candidates to potentially replace Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds, with director of football Victor Orta having worked with the former full-back during their time together at Sevilla.
As it stands, Bielsa is yet to sign a contract extension that would keep him at Elland Road for a fourth season.
Yet Leeds fans know by now that this most mercurial of managers likes to keep them waiting.
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