Leeds United want to name Jesse Marsch’s replacement by Sunday. But Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta are split on naming Carlos Corberan or Andoni Iraola as the next manager.
That is according to the Daily Mail, which reports Leeds owner and chairman Radrizzani is a fan of Corberan. But Orta, who pushed the Whites to appoint Marsch a year ago, is keen to see Iraola take charge. They are now two of the four favourites to take over at Elland Road.
Leeds are keen to get Marsch’s successor through the door before Manchester United visit the club on Sunday. Michael Skubala, Paco Gallardo and Chris Armas will oversee their trip to Old Trafford on Wednesday. But the club seeks a swift, long-term solution to their issue.
Leeds director of football Orta began interviewing candidates to replace Marsch with chief executive Angus Kinnear on Monday. Radrizzani will lead the process soon, though, as he is to fly in from Italy. The Whites are determined to name the right coach to avoid relegation.
Orta has so far leant on his connections in Spain to find Marsch’s replacement and believes Iraola can be the next Leeds manager. The 40-year-old has led Rayo Vallecano to fifth in La Liga this term. They are only three points off the Champions League places after 20 games.
Iraola is also a product of the Marcelo Bielsa school of football having played under the ex-Whites gaffer for Athletic Bilbao. But Radrizzani admires another of Bielsa’s disciples in ex-Leeds U21 boss Corberan after excelling at Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion.
Radrizzani and Orta clash on Corberan and Iraola being the next Leeds manager
The chance to return to Leeds would appeal to Corberan, who only took over West Brom in October. He spent three years in charge of the Whites’ U21 side from 2017 to 2020 and also worked under Bielsa. The 39-year-old left Leeds to take over the first-team at Huddersfield.
Corberan would lead the Terriers to the Championship play-off final in his second season in charge. But after losing to Nottingham Forest in the 2022 Wembley showpiece, the Valencia native walked away. He would then last just 11 games in charge of Olympiacos last year.
Yet West Brom have shot up the Championship under Corberan to now be in contention to replace Marsch as the next Leeds manager. He replaced Steve Bruce with the club 23rd in the table and two points off last place. Yet they now sit in sixth after 10 wins in 13 games.
Orta, though, wants to name Iraola as the next Leeds manager given his superb season in charge of Rayo Vallecano. The Estadio de Vallecas natives have won nine of their 20 La Liga games this term. Los Franjirrojos have also scored 27 goals to a mere 22 conceded so far.
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