Marcelo Bielsa pens one-year Leeds contract extension

 

Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa has signed a one-year contract extension, the Premier League club have confirmed.

Hours after the 66-year-old said in a press conference on Thursday that his future at the club had been “resolved”, Leeds made the extension official.

The Argentine, who took over at Elland Road in 2018, led Leeds to ninth in the Premier League last season after securing the club’s return to the top-flight following a 16-year absence.

A club statement said: “Leeds United are pleased to confirm Marcelo Bielsa has signed a new contract to remain in charge at Elland Road.

“The Argentine has agreed a fresh one-year-deal, running until the end of the 2021/22 season.”

Speaking ahead of Leeds’ season opener at Manchester United on Saturday, Bielsa praised the club’s hierarchy for their willingness to invest in the club’s training facilities and infrastructure.

“From my point of view, this is an extraordinary club,” he said. “It’s not often you have a club that designates so much volume of investment to the improvement of the training facilities.

“Leeds have made a significant contribution economically to provide the tools for a manager to prepare to be the ideal ones.”

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Leeds have also invested in Bielsa’s playing squad this summer, making Jack Harrison’s loan from Manchester City permanent, bringing in Junior Firpo from Barcelona and also completing deals for youngsters Amari Miller, Lewis Bate, Kristoffer Klaesson and Sean McGurk.

Though they continue to be linked with other deals, Bielsa declared himself happy with his current options.

“I’m satisfied with the group I’m working with,” he said. “I couldn’t tell you about hypothetical situations but what I can tell you is the group of players I have I’m happy with.”