Marcelo Bielsa agrees new one-year Leeds contract
By Tom Gott
Leeds United have confirmed that Marcelo Biesla has agreed to a new one-year contract to remain in charge of Leeds.
The 66-year-old has technically been leading the club this summer without a contract, having seen his previous deal expire at the end of the season - but everyone has been operating safe in the knowledge that an agreement was coming soon.
Now, two days before the start of the new Premier League season, Leeds have confirmed the manager is staying put on their official website.
✍️ "Resolved"... and now signed! pic.twitter.com/MxV9fMOKoj
— Leeds United (@LUFC) August 12, 2021
When asked about his future in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's meeting with Manchester United, Bielsa simply confirmed his contract was 'resolved' and hinted that he has agreed to 12 more months at Elland Road.
While talks may have dragged on longer than many would have hoped, both Bielsa and Leeds are understood to have remained calm. The boss has not returned to his native Argentina this summer and has remained at the club's training ground, confident that the little details would be sorted at some point.
A real fan favourite since joining the club back in 2018, Bielsa has quickly turned Leeds into genuine players in the top-flight scene. They secured a ninth-placed finish last season and Bielsa has high hopes when it comes to improving on that this time around.
"We are going to try to improve all aspects of our play," he told Sky Sports recently. "We have weak points which we showed over the course of last season. Now is the time to correct those things and do things more effectively.
Marcelo Bielsa confirmed at his press conference that he has 'resolved' his contract situation at Leeds and has agreed another what he called 'habitual' 12-month deal. Hardly in doubt but always a big day for Leeds fans confirming this guy is staying around!
— Graeme Bailey (@GraemeBailey) August 12, 2021
"I believe that in football, there is very little margin to invent or create new things. What we will try to do is to improve the things we have been doing up until now. Yes, we are now better known to our rivals. But they are also better known to us."
Part of Leeds' plan to improve has involved being active in the transfer market. Bielsa has brought back winger Jack Harrison on a permanent deal and has also added left-back Junior Firpo from Barcelona in the hope of bolstering the squad.