Our view: Bielsa has his next Dallas in Leeds ace who can go ‘anywhere on the pitch’

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Leeds United’s promotion last season was nothing short of outstanding.

The Whites won the title while playing some of the best football the second-tier had ever seen, and one of their key players in that run was undoubtedly Stuart Dallas.

The Northern Irishman started all but one of Leeds’ games last season, and his incredible versatility made him one of Marcelo Bielsa’s most important tools.

Transfermarkt state that Dallas has played no fewer than nine different positions throughout his career, and last season was no different as he was deployed in four different areas by Bielsa.

When you prefer to work with a small squad, having versatile players is key, and Dallas certainly fits that bill.

Fortunately, Leeds have another swiss army knife of a footballer coming through in the shape of Jamie Shackleton.

We have seen the 21-year-old deployed in a number of positions already in his career, but the youngster is confident that he can play in almost any role.

“I do enjoy full-back, but my favourite is number 8 midfield, box-to-box, can go anywhere on the pitch,” Shackleton told the club’s official website earlier this year.

Shackleton’s versatility has always been key to him getting chances early in his career.

However, he is now beginning to show that he may be a Premier League calibre player,

He earned plaudits for his substitute appearance against Aston Villa last week, before being handed his first start of the season against Leicester on Monday.

Shackleton may not be the first name on the team sheet anytime soon. But his versatility and quality make him an excellent option for Marcelo Bielsa’s side and, in years to come, he could play a very similar role to Dallas.