Leeds-linked striker believes in Marcelo Bielsa’s methods, after commenting in 2014

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Leeds United are reportedly interested in forming a reunion between Marcelo Bielsa and Swansea City attacker Andre Ayew in the January transfer window – and his comments in 2014 would prove he would hit the ground running at Elland Road.

African outlet GhanaSoccerNet have claimed that Leeds are interested in signing 30-year-old attacker Ayew next month. The 86-time Ghana international has impressed for Swansea this season, scoring nine goals in 21 league and cup outings.

Ayew has stated he is happy at Swansea, after returning to the Welsh club in the summer following a loan with Turkish side Fenerbahce. But, given his enormous wages, it would come as no surprise if Swansea’s American owners chose to sell him.

Now, Leeds are looking to bring Ayew to Elland Road, with Eddie Nketiah rumoured to be on his way back to Arsenal in January. Ayew, who can also play out wide and in the 10 role, would also cover the injured Tyler Roberts and Adam Forshaw.

Ghana skipper Ayew played under Bielsa during the duo’s time at Marseille. Bielsa joined Marseille ahead of the 2014-15 season, and Ayew scored 11 goals in 29 games during that term. He sold Ayew, before leaving himself in August 2015.

As quoted by the Daily Mail in 2014, Ayew gave a candid interview on Bielsa’s training methods – which are renowned to be extremely fitness based, and very detailed in order to catch on to the Argentine’s system that works so well. Ayew is a fan.

“The work asked of us was sometimes hard to accept or to understand at first,” Ayew said. “We made a lot of sacrifices, it has been a very intense five months. It is a different way of working and we are progressing. Individually, we have improved.”

So, with Ayew knowing what to expect and already having a working understanding of how Bielsa plays – something he learned just five years ago, he would easily hit the ground running at Elland Road.

It is just another reason why Ayew would be an unbelievable signing for Leeds, and push them towards securing Premier League promotion for the first time since they were relegated at the end of the 2003-04 season.