The Edinson Cavani transfer link to Leeds United should be enough to remind us that their return to the Premier League is a big deal.
After 16 years outside of England’s top flight, manager Marcelo Bielsa has masterminded a path back to the big time. Alongside owner Andrea Radrizzani and director of football Victor Orta, Leeds will now begin the work of landing new signings who help cement their status as a top-flight club.
There is some significant business to be done. Top of the priority list is a contract for Bielsa himself. But beyond that, sources expect the club to make five signings.
There is no guarantee over Bielsa, though whispers of an £8 million-per-season deal over two years should be enough to convince him not to walk away from this project. Leeds want the boss to continue to lead them with his thrilling brand of football.
Joe Urquhart covers Leeds for the Yorkshire Evening Post and told Bleacher Report: “Should Bielsa stay, then I have no doubts they will approach the division in exactly the same fashion as they did the Championship. Bielsa only plays one way, and he’ll not divert from his methods for any reason. It’ll be free-flowing attacking football, with a high press.
“Leeds can certainly take promise from what Chris Wilder has achieved with Sheffield United this year, and Bielsa, after all, has shown just how much having a top-class head coach can benefit a group of players in his two years at the club.
“If they can add some more quality and depth to the squad this summer, then I see no reason why they can’t shock a few teams. The big issue they had was putting the ball in the back of the net in the Championship—they’ll have to improve on that against higher quality opposition.”
Cavani would help in that sense, and it is the rumour around his name that has caused most headlines since Leeds secured promotion.
Available as a free agent after his Paris Saint-Germain contract expired in June, Cavani is also being linked with Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Roma and Inter Miami—to name a few.
But the Leeds report caused plenty of raised eyebrows in the football world.
How real is it? It’s hard to tell. But Radrizzani is well-connected and has good links with Cavani.
If they can keep Bielsa in charge, it would help land him. But at this stage, it is difficult to get carried away. The player’s personal terms will be significant, and the club are wary of getting caught up in the excitement of promotion. Continue reading