Report: Leeds plan to sign ‘exciting’ midfielder if they stay up, Bielsa is about to link up with him

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Leeds United’s status as a Premier League club is uncertain, but they’re seemingly already making plans to bring in some top talent next summer if they do manage to stay up.

Indeed, according to Portuguese outlet Record, Leeds have Sporting’s Manuel Ugarte on their list of potential signings for if they stay up.

The ‘exciting’ midfielder has been excelling for Sporting over the past two years or so, and as we’ve seen this season, midfielders who have been coached by Ruben Amorim can excel in the Premier League.

Indeed, both Joao Palhinha and Matheus Nunes have enjoyed fruitful debut seasons in the Premier League, and Leeds will be hoping that Ugarte can do the same.

Of course, there are a number of factors at play here that make a deal very difficult.

For a start, Leeds could well be relegated. Their last two performances have been abysmal and they don’t look like improving anytime soon.

Secondly, Leeds don’t know who their manager will be next term. Javi Gracia is on what has been described as a ‘flexible’ contract and it’s hard to imagine he’ll be kept on next year after some terrible performances as of late.

Thirdly, there are other, bigger, clubs interested such as Tottenham Hotspur, so this may be a difficult race to win.

However, Leeds may soon have an interesting edge in this race in the shape of Marcelo Bielsa.

El Loco is reportedly about to take the Uruguay job and that would mean that he is Ugarte’s manager at international level, and there probably isn’t a manager in world football more likely to endorse a move to Leeds United than Bielsa.

We’re a long way off thinking about Leeds transfers for this summer, but Ugarte’s name is one to keep in the back of your mind.