New Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa hasn’t had an opportunity to make his first summer signing yet having only been announced as the club’s new manager last week, but he will be keen to get some business done sooner rather than later.
The Argentine boss is likely to take an in-depth look at his squad and offload some names before bringing some new faces through the Elland Road entrance, and he will certainly be hoping to ramp the business up soon given there is only just over six weeks until the new season kicks off.
The 62-year-old, who has been urged to sign a 25-year-old World Cup attacking ace by fans on Twitter, will be working in tandem with director of football Victor Orta to identify the individuals that will help the club improve upon a disastrous 2017/18 campaign where they went to serious automatic promotion contenders in September to mid-table mediocrity by May.
While the former Chile and Argentina chief will have the stars he wants to bring to Elland Road in mind, perhaps he should also be considering bringing some familiar faces back to Yorkshire too, as there are ex-Whites out there that would make a big difference for them on the pitch now in their bid for a Premier League return.
Here are three former Leeds players Bielsa must look to re-sign this summer…
With skipper Liam Cooper and Pontus Jansson the Yorkshire outfit’s only two senior centre-back options right now, it is clear to see that one of Bielsa’s transfer priorities must surely be to bring a new central defender to Elland Road.
Cooper may not be considered enough for a promotion push, and if the 62-year-old manager intends to use his revered 3-3-1-3 formation then he will certainly need another body at the back, and his top target should be Bartley.
The Swansea City man shone alongside Jansson in the 2016/17 campaign having joined the Whites on loan from the Welsh club, and Leeds should look to reunite that partnership this summer.
If Bielsa does introduce his 3-3-1-3 system, then he could easily choose to bring Luke Ayling into the centre of his defence and sign a more attack-minded wing-back who can also move into a more central midfield area when required.
Former Leeds full-back Byram may well be the answer, given the energy he has and the quality that he has when in possession of the ball.
The 24-year-old, who is reported to be a target for the Whites, has struggled to make an impression with West Ham since joining them in 2016, with injuries and a lack of form meaning he has often found himself on the substitutes’ bench when he has been fit.
It was definitely something of a controversial decision for some when Leeds sold Liam Bridcutt to Nottingham Forest last summer, considering he was one of the players that was willing to put his foot in, in the middle of the park.
Those people that weren’t happy to see him go would feel they were somewhat vindicated when the likes of Mateusz Klich, Eunan O’Kane and Kalvin Phillips often struggled in central areas in 2017/18, and perhaps one of the Yorkshire club’s main priorities should be to try to bring the influential and experienced 29-year-old back to Elland Road to partner Adam Forshaw this season.
Do you agree, Leeds fans? Let us know below.
