Report: Leeds not signing Harry Winks frustrated Whites' board

By Jordan Harris

Leeds not signing Harry Winks during the January transfer window caused internal frustration to be directed at Marcelo Bielsa, according to a report from The Athletic.

Leeds’ Premier League status is currently hanging by a thread. The Whites sit one place and two points above the bottom three. They have also played one game more than Everton.

It will be particularly upsetting for many Leeds fans if they are relegated because it will mark a sad conclusion to the Bielsa era at Elland Road that promised so much.

Leeds fans will still defend Bielsa passionately in the face of a media that would have probably found fault had he led the Whites to the Champions League final. But the Argentinian was not blameless either.

One of the major frustrations was that Leeds did not do any significant business in January. Some will point the finger at the board. However, Bielsa may not have helped the situation either.

Bielsa decided against signing Winks on loan from Tottenham. Previous reports stated that he felt that the England international was not the right fit for his side.

Winks has not had the best season with Spurs. And there is a chance that Winks could leave Tottenham this summer. But it does appear that the Leeds hierarchy was not impressed with Bielsa’s decision.

The Athletic now reports that there was internal frustration that Bielsa rejected the opportunity to bring Winks to Leeds.

Leeds not signing Harry Winks may have been a costly error

The relegation battle looks set to be decided by the tightest margins. Leeds fans will think back to the 7-0 and 6-0 losses this term and rue those not being 2-0 instead.

With that in mind, not signing Winks may prove a costly error. Of course, he would probably not transform Leeds. And it may only be around now that Bielsa would deem him to be fit enough to start in his side.

But Leeds missed out on the boost a new signing can bring. And he definitely has the ability to be a very good player. Mauricio Pochettino once called him an ‘amazing’ player.

Leeds have not yet found their perfect midfield pairing under Jesse Marsch. So you can understand why the club may feel that signing Winks in January may have made a real difference.