da realsbet： According to Sky Sports, Leeds United are reportedly getting closer to appointing Marcelo Bielsa as Paul Heckingbottom’s successor, and if they do the Argentine manager should make an audacious move to bring Athletic Bilbao striker Artiz Aduriz to Elland Road.
What’s the word, then?
da dobrowin： Well, the Yorkshire outfit sacked Heckingbottom on Friday after he won just four of his 16 Championship matches at the helm, and it appears they are closing in on getting the 62-year-old as his replacement.
Bielsa has managed Argentina, Chile, Marseille and Bilbao among others, and he was a huge success at the latter, for whom he re-signed Aduriz from Valencia in 2012.
The centre-forward has gone on to be a huge success for the Spanish club and despite being 37 years of age and having just one year left on his contract, he continues to find the net on a regular basis – he has 165 goals in 365 matches in total for them.
How did Aduriz do during the 2017/18 campaign?
He was, once again, excellent.
The veteran striker scored 20 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions for Bilbao – with eight of those coming in the Europa League – while he also provided a further two assists.
While the 37-year-old doesn’t have too much pace, he is hugely effective in the air and as well as being a bit of a specialist when it comes to scoring with his head, according to WhoScored.com he won 153 of the 278 aerial duels he faced in 43 outings in La Liga and in Europe last season.
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Would he be a good signing for Leeds?
He certainly would be, and one that would excite the fans, who believe the club is close to confirming their first summer signing following a huge development.
While he may not be speedy, Aduriz is strong, good in the air and able to hold the ball up for his teammates, which means he would be perfect in the lone striker role in Bielsa’s preferred 3-3-3-1 formation.
It would be a huge coup to bring the Spaniard to Elland Road despite his age, and with just a year left on his contract he may well be tempted by one last challenge in his career.
He would also finally be a replacement – albeit in the short-term – for Chris Wood, and would boost the Yorkshire outfit’s goal threat in what is going to be a hugely important 2018/19 season for them.