Paulo Fonseca has emerged as a potential managerial candidate at Leeds United as Marcelo Bielsa’s future remain uncertain.
Leeds United are facing a sticky situation at the moment after a recent dip in form that has led to concerns over the future of Marcelo Bielsa. It is believed that the Premier League outfit are already scouring the market for potential managerial candidates, and according to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, they are apparently keeping an eye on Paulo Fonseca.
Currently dawdling in the 15th position, Leeds are well and truly involved in the relegation scrap, especially with Newcastle United on the ascendancy. Burnley, too, have started to kick into gear after the smart signing of Wout Weghorst and a couple of back-to-back wins in the Premier League, whereas the Whites are currently winless in their last five matches, losing four of them.
The dip in form has forced the Leeds United board to reconsider extending the contract of Marcelo Bielsa. The Yorkshire outfit were always going to have a difficult job of retaining the Argentine’s services, with his current deal at Elland expiring at the end of the season.
With Leeds now involved in a relegation battle, the club’s hierarchy, led by sporting director Victor Orta and majority owner Andrea Radrizzani are scouting multiple replacement options across Europe. They have already been linked with a move for former American tactician Jesse Marsch, who was sacked by RB Leipzig earlier in the campaign.
But it appears they are also keeping a close eye on Fonseca, who has been a free agent since his departure from AS Roma last summer. The Portuguese coach was closely linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, but a move did not materialise, with the Lilywhites eventually settling for Nuno Espirito Santo.
It seems Fonseca may end up in the Premier League next season, with Leeds United emerging as the potential destination. Formerly of Porto, Braga and Shakhtar Donetsk, the 48-year-old’s tactical philosophy is a bit more pragmatic than Marsch or Bielsa, so it might require a bit of time for the players to settle into the new setup.
However, one may argue that it is exactly what Leeds United require, as Bielsa’s high-risk, high-reward approach has clearly failed to yield the results this time around.
While injuries have played a key role, it is no secret that the opponents have found Leeds more predictable this season. As such, it will be interesting to see what the future holds with regard to the Whites’ managerial role, as we head towards the business end of the campaign.
The sooner Bielsa goes the better