Hutton: Leeds are finalising blockbuster contract that’s ‘bigger than Grealish’
Marcelo Bielsa is “everything” to Leeds United as new contract talks take place, according to Alan Hutton.
The former Scotland star, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted it would be bigger for the Whites to lose their Argentine boss than Jack Grealish leaving Aston Villa.
As revealed by Football Insider, Leeds started work on finalising blockbuster contracts for Bielsa and his coaches this week.
The Argentine and his backroom staff are all in line for pay rises at Elland Road.
The total cost to the Whites will be well in excess of £7million.
Leeds are keen to avoid a repeat of the protracted talks that took place last summer.
Hutton admitted the Yorkshire giants could not afford to lose the 65-year-old for whatever reason.
Hutton told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge: “That is the worry. He’s everything to them, in my opinion.
“When you talk about losing a star player, you lose your Jack Grealish or that, you don’t play the same. For Leeds, if they were to lose their manager, that’s even bigger than Grealish, in my opinion.
“He’s everything. He demands everything off the players, every single day, every game, 110 per cent, high intensity. If he leaves and somebody else comes in with a different philosophy or different style of play, they’re not the same team.
“He has come in, made the team better and made the individual players better. They have to tie him down, that’s key.
“You’re looking at if they don’t and he moves on, we could be having a totally different discussion about Leeds next season. It’s imperative that they sign him.”
Bielsa famously signed his last contract a day before Leeds’ opening day clash against Liverpool in September.
He has always signed one-year extensions since arriving at Elland Road.
In other news, Leeds United have been tipped to replace first-team mainstay with “next level” signing as top target revealed.