OPINION
Leeds United are setting themselves up for a huge fall from grace if Marcelo Bielsa does not add any more players to his squad before the end of August.
The Whites haven’t exactly been the busiest of clubs in the Championship over the summer, and that has left them with paper-thin options at centre-back.
Gaetano Berardi, naturally a right-back, and Liam Cooper have been Bielsa’s first picks at centre-back in the early games of this season, with Pontus Jansson looking as though he is out of the picture for now, and that has worked a treat so far with the Yorkshire giants boasting a 100 per cent record.
However that could soon unravel if Leeds do not add to this defence soon enough because injuries and suspensions are bound to stack up over the coming months.
What is worrying is that Bielsa doesn’t seem in any kind of great rush to add to his rearguard.
In his press conference ahead of the clash with Swansea on Tuesday night, the Yorkshire Evening Post quoted Bielsa as admitted that there is “nothing new for now” in regards to the club’s transfer activity.
While he could be teasing that there is more business to come, Leeds do not appear to be close – or even interested – in signing anyone.
Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta were at Elland Road last year when Thomas Christiansen’s side had an explosive start to the season, topping the table by mid-September.
Eventually he lost his job over poor recruitment and a lack of quality depth.
Bielsa is one of the most experienced managers in the Championship, but at the same time, he is the least experienced in English football.
His tactics require his side to play at 110 per cent for 46 games in a season, with some weeks consisting of three fixtures.
Injuries, lack of form and fatigue will set in soon enough, and the Argentine boss cannot be caught out by that and must make a major effort to bring in one, or even two, new centre-backs before the start of September.