Aitor Karanka could become the next Leeds manager because of his “close” relationship with Victor Orta, according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Phil Hay.
The reliable journalist has reported on his personal Twitter account that former Middlesbrough head of recruitment Orta, who has worked closely with Karanka during his career, would “fit” into the structure being put into place by new owner Andrea Radrizzani.
Hay, who was speaking to a Leeds supporter on Twitter, believes that relationship could mean a deal for Karanka to replace the recently departed Garry Monk.
“[The] club are playing it down,” Hay wrote on his personal Twitter account. “But Karanka and Orta are very close and he would fit into Radrizzani’s structure.”
club are playing it down but Karanka and Orta are very close and he would fit into Radrizzani's structure.
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) May 26, 2017
Monk resigned from his managerial post at the Championship side on Thursday afternoon, with Karanka currently the bookies favourite to replace him.
Spaniard Karanka was sacked as Middlesbrough manager in March, prior to their relegation from the Premier League.
The north east club have since confirmed that Orta has also followed Karanka out of the exit door and left his role as Head of Recruitment as speculation mounts that he could be heading to Leeds.
Owner Radrizzani will no doubt be one of the key decision makers in who the next Leeds manager will be after the Italian had completed his takeover of the club on Tuesday.
Following Monk’s departure, both Radrizzani and Monk offered conflicting views on why he had to leave the club in such an abrupt manner.
Radrizzani claimed on his personal Twitter account that he was “keen” to do a three-year deal with the highly-rated English coach, who responded by saying that he was left “unconvinced” that the club wanted to keep him beyond 2018.
After finishing seventh this season and narrowly missing out on promotion, Radrizzani will be looking to build upon that success and helping the club edge closer to the Premier League.