Major flaw arises with reported Leeds plan to target Liverpool legend

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Leeds continue to monitor Steven Gerrard’s progress with Rangers amid claims he would be their No 1 target if ever Marcelo Bielsa stepped away from the Elland Road hotseat.

United are back in the Premier League after a 16-year absence and Argentine Bielsa has his status firmly carved out as a club legend.

Bielsa signed another one-year rolling contract in the summer after Leeds’ promotion from the Championship.

That means the 65-year-old will fall out of contract in July. Chairman Andrea Radrizzani, however, is sure the Argentinian will stay on at Elland Road.

Nonetheless, there is also an acceptance that he won’t carry on forever – especially with his family on the other side of the world.

As such, Leeds continue to keep an eye on potential successors should the time ever come. The practice is not unusual and, indeed, most clubs have a ‘succession plan’ in place.


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According to Football Insider, the man at the top of their wanted list is Steven Gerrard.

The Liverpool legend has Rangers upwardly mobile and they are currently in fine form on the domestic and European front.

And they claim Leeds are keeping tabs on his progress at Rangers as he looks to end Celtic’s long domination in the Scottish Premiership.

Gerrard is contracted to Rangers until 2024 and has shown no signs of agitating for a move away.

 

 

 

The Scouser did have a bit of wobble when his side crashed out the Scottish Cup to Hearts in March.

“I need to think,” he said. “The plan was to have a day off (on Sunday). I need to think hard about where we are at as a group. I need to do some real, serious thinking in the next 24, 48 hours.”

Asked if that would include his own future, he replied: “I just need to think. I need to think. I am feeling pain right now because I want to win here, I am desperate to win here.

However, he overcame that moment and has bounced back in style with Rangers on a brilliant run this season.

Indeed, Leeds could face something of an issue if trying to appoint Gerrard before his deal expires.

His contract runs to 2024, which is exactly the time Jurgen Klopp’s expires at Liverpool.

Gerrard himself insists he wants Klopp to remain at Anfield for many years to come after he was touted to succeed him.

However, with the German himself naming Gerrard as his likely successor, it seems Anfield is a far more likely next destination for the Rangers boss.

 


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Radrizzani hopes for long Bielsa stay

For Leeds though, they do hope their mercurial coach will remain in the hotseat for some considerable time yet.

Andrea Radrizzani TEAMtalk

Radrizzani told beIN SPORTS via The Sun: “I hope he can stay with us for a long time. But we like to decide year by year because, obviously, he’s not a young manager, he’s 65 and his family, his wife is often in Argentina.

“Hopefully, he can stay longer – 60 is the new 40 these days!

“If not, I think what he’s building is the foundation for a proper club.

“He has put in the foundations for the future without him.

“I say that really convinced of his job, because it’s not only what you can see every game but what he has done in terms of changing the facilities, the work ethic — they really reflect what I wanted to do in the club.”

 

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