There was a litany of candidates for the vacant Leeds United managerial post in the wake of the sacking of Paul Heckingbottom at the beginning of June. His replacement though, in the shape of Marcelo Bielsa, was as unanticipated as it was improbable. But now, as reality bites, the former Argentinian manager must consider tackling the shape of his inherited squad of players.
The 62-year-old has signed a contract at Elland Road until 2020. It’s impressive from Leeds’ point of view to sign a manager of Bielsa’s calibre. He managed Argentina in the 2002 World Cup and Chile at the same tournament four years later.
Bielsa’s tactical nous and penchant for attacking football are considered to be particularly influential on the styles of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino.
He will now be looking to stamp his authority at Elland Road by bringing in fresh faces in the summer. He will try to build and shape a team in the mould of his previous sides.
If he intends to build from the back, he should look to sign Ajaccio left-back Manuel Cabit. The left-back was a problematic area for Leeds last season, and signing Cabit could go a long way in solving the problem.
Cabit made 27 appearances in Ligue 1 last season, setting up 4 goals, in addition to providing solidity to Ajaccio’s defence. Cabit is a versatile full-back, who can also shift into a central defensive role if need be. An attribute such as this would not be lost on Bielsa, who would want a solid backline at his disposal.
The defensive capabilities of the player would add a resilience to Leeds, who will look to mount a serious promotion push under Bielsa’s guidance next season. It remains to be seen if the Whites manage to land Cabit but if they do, it’s safe to say that he will be a good signing for the Yorkshire giants.