Rio Ferdinand paid a visit to his former club Leeds United this week - and immediately waxed lyrical about Marcelo Bielsa.
The Argentine head coach has transformed the Whites from mid-table Championship side to a slick, stylish Premier League outfit in the space of two years.
Ferdinand, who played at Elland Road between 2000 and 2002, was hugely impressed by Bielsa when he took in a training session at Thorp Arch.
And he says he is keen to learn more about the man who is revered by Leeds fans.
Speaking to LUTV , Ferdinand said: “I’ve got to be honest, with Bielsa I’ve heard a lot about him and people talk about how great he is.
"A lot of people use the word scientist, he’s got a scientific approach to the game.
"He’s been around a long time but when you haven’t seen it and you go and see it, it’s a breath of fresh air. It’s so informative.
"There’s a lot of questions in your mind when you’re watching them train.
"There’s a purpose behind every session, there’s no wastage in terms of time, very methodical. It really interests me. It's really intriguing, I’d love to get a bit of time to speak to him, even through a translator just to understand how and why he’s got to this point.”
In terms of how the Whites will fare back in the top flight, Ferdinand believes that they can emulate Sunday's opponents Sheffield United.
Last season saw the Blades take the division by storm with a stylish brand of football.
Now, Ferdinand believes his former club will do exactly the same.
He added: “Again, I think Leeds are a breath of fresh air for the league.
"I think last season Sheffield United took that mantle, they were the team that came up and surprised a few, a new system, but this has gone to another extreme.
"The way that Leeds are set up, the way they play, they’re going to outrun most teams physically, but tactically they seem like a team that’s set up very, very well and you can see that there’s a lot of work that goes in on the training ground.
"They do ask teams a lot of questions whether it’s tactically or physically - I think we saw that on the first day of the season, against Liverpool.
"They could have won that game easily and they’re playing against the champions, so it tells you that they’re going to give a lot of teams a run for their money."
Read the full interview on btsport.com. The BT Sport Monthly Pass lets you watch BT Sport for a simple monthly fee of £25 with no contract.
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