Andrea Radrizzani claims Leeds can achieve their goal of Champions League football even if Marcelo Bielsa leaves.
Radrizzani says Leeds are in talks with Bielsa about signing a contract extension to keep him at Elland Road next season.
The Leeds chairman and majority shareholder is confident Bielsa will sign on for a fourth season in charge, claiming both sides share “a common will” to continue working together.
Radrizzani is relaxed about Bielsa’s future and says Leeds’ goal of returning to the Champions League for the first time since reaching the semi-finals in 2001 is not dependent on him staying.
“Leeds United are bigger than Marcelo Bielsa,” he said. “If one day, for whatever reason, we were to split up with Marcelo, that wouldn’t change our objective, which is to one day put Leeds back to where this club was, so that it can once again play in the Champions League.”
Bielsa has always resisted talking about his future until the current campaign is over and Radrizzani hopes they can agree terms by the time the season ends in a month’s time.
“I hope to extend his contract by the end of the season, and I think it is possible,” he said. “We are in discussions.
“There is a common will to continue and so far we have always got along well.
“We support Marcelo in his work and I think I can say that he is satisfied with his relations with the management of the club.
“Hopefully, we can continue to work together.”
Leeds are set to record their best finish since 2002 under Bielsa in their first campaign back in the Premier League after a 16-year absence and Radrizzani says the challenge for next season will be to do even better.
“We will have to try to continue to provide as much pleasure through our play, to finish, if possible, in a place better than this season in the Premier League and to integrate some of our young players into the first team because our training is very efficient,” the Italian told L’Equipe.
