Sources: Bournemouth talks with ex-Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa collapse as 39-year-old to be appointed
Bournemouth talks with ex-Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa have collapsed, sources have told Football Insider.
The Premier League club are now set to appoint Gary O’Neil on a permanent basis after a three-month spell in caretaker charge.
Bournemouth had targeted Bielsa, 67, and were in advanced talks with him following extensive negotiations, going so far as to offer the job to the Argentine.
But the south-coast club have been unable to reach a full agreement with the 67-year-old, who is renowned as a tough negotiator.
Bournemouth have pulled the plug on their pursuit and are now poised to hand O’Neil the job on a full-time basis.
The 39-year-old has been in interim charge since Scott Parker was surprisingly sacked in late August, just a few matches after spearheading the club to promotion.
The Cherries went six games unbeaten under temporary boss O’Neil but suffered four consecutive league defeats before their surprise 3-0 win over Everton before the mid-season break.
That triumph left the club 14th in the Premier League, although only three points above the relegation zone.
Bielsa, who has previously managed the Argentina and Chile national teams, is a maverick figure who is revered at Leeds.
The 67-year-old famously led United back into the Premier League after a 16-year absence in July 2020, and managed them for four years before he was sacked in February.
Leeds were renowned for their unique attacking style as well as extraordinary fitness during Bielsa’s reign.
But there was also criticism of the team being too open and easy for top Premier League sides to attack and the Argentine was dismissed following a streak of four consecutive losses across which Leeds conceded 17 goals.
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