Marcelo Bielsa is prepared to quit Leeds United should he fail to guide the Yorkshire outfit to promotion from the Championship this season, according to The Express.
The report suggests that the Argentine boss has already been sounded out by Spanish side Real Betis for a summer move when his contract at Elland Road comes to an end.
And Leeds’ hopes of persuading their inspirational manager to sign on for another campaign now appear to rest on the success of their promotion bid.
Having previously managed the Argentina national team, as well as big names such as Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lazio, Bielsa’s move to the Whites in 2018 caused something of a stir.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola rates the 64-year-old as the best coach in the world, and his first term at Leeds saw him transform the team’s style of play, although a late slump saw them miss out on automatic promotion and slip to a play-off semi-final defeat to Derby County.
This time around, though, Leeds appear to be coming good at the right time.
Saturday’s 2-0 win over struggling Huddersfield Town made it five consecutive league victories, a run that has propelled them to the top of the division with nine matches to play.
And with a seven-point cushion to third-placed Fulham, it would appear that automatic promotion is firmly within Leeds’ grasp.
Fans are desperate for their team to return to the Premier League for the first time since their shock relegation in 2004, and would surely love Bielsa to stick around for at least another year.
