Leeds United missed out on a Premier League return last season having failed to retain their momentum in the decisive weeks. However, their progress has been astounding under Marcelo Bielsa, and the Whites have made a strong start this term in their bid to reclaim top-flight status after years of anguish.
The veteran Argentine has not only bolstered the squad with quality additions but also tied down the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas for years to come. They have been key to Bielsa’s Leeds United redemption, and their decision of penning new deals depicts the ambition as well as the desire of the club to attain lost glory.
According to Phil Hay of The Athletic, there are more names next in line to be offered new terms to extend their stay in West Yorkshire. Mateusz Klich and Pablo Hernandez have been industrious under the gaffer and are likely to be rewarded soon with less than a year left in their current contracts to expire.
While the fans would be ecstatic to see the pair committing their future at Elland Road, a few things must be analysed before deciding upon the length of the offered deal for both the players.
Mateusz Klich
The Polish professional is hailed for his work ethics, ability to build the game up from the middle of the park and turn things around with his vision, creativity, passing, layoffs and goal-scoring attributes. He was surplus to requirements under ex-boss Thomas Christiansen but proved to be a revelation under Bielsa since the inception of the previous campaign.
Klich, meanwhile, will be in his thirties next season and despite being a regular in the centre of the pitch, might struggle eventually with his fitness and form considering the sizeable amount of workload he affords on every occasion. Yet a three-year deal should be pragmatic for all parties involved.
Pablo Hernandez
The Spaniard is still irreplaceable even after the introduction of Helder Costa this summer. The highly-rated Portuguese has failed to grab a place ahead of the Spaniard who is set to be 35 by the end of the ongoing campaign. He scored as well as assisted 12 times each last season in the Championship and is off to a flying start this term too with two goals and assists already. His presence adds innovation, injects flair in the attacking third and creates ample goal-bound threats for the fellow attackers.
The Whites, therefore, must offer him a contract irrespective of his age and solely on his on-field contribution and excellence. But it should not be more than a one-year deal initially given the likeliness of making Costa’s move permanent by next summer.
