Here are your Leeds United morning headlines for Tuesday, April 12.
Harte’s verdict on O’Leary’s Leeds vs Bielsa’s
Ian Harte believes David O’Leary’s outfit would beat the promotion-chasing Leeds side of 2019/20.
Harte was a key part of the Leeds team that reached the UEFA Cup and Champions League semi-finals under O’Leary in the early 2000s.
And although he praised the work Bielsa has done at Elland Road, the former left-back believes the current Leeds side is not at the level of the one he played in.
“What would be interesting would be that team Leeds had in the Champions League going up against the Bielsa side,” Harte told Football League World.
“Oliver Dacourt in the midfield, Lee Bowyer, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Jonathan Woodgate, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Kelly, Danny Mills – that team against Bielsa’s team would be very interesting.
“I’d love that, I think we’d beat them, honestly.”
Berbatov recalls Elland Road trip
Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has cast an eye back to a unique experience at Elland Road.
During a League Cup tie in 2011, Berbatov was forced to fill in at centre-back against Simon Grayson’s Leeds side.
Leeds lost 3-0 to a team that included Paul Pogba, who made his debut for United that night.
“First of all it was not five minutes, it was like half an hour maybe,” Berbatov said during a Q&A on Instagram about that game.
"Of course I remember it, but not many people remember which game it was. I was like [Franco] Baresi, [Paolo] Maldini and [Franz] Beckenbauer in one.”
Leeds handed Koch boost
Leeds have been handed a boost in their reported pursuit of Freiburg defender Robin Koch.
The centre-back has been linked with a move to England this summer, with Leeds, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur all potential destinations.
And Freiburg manager Christian Streich has been forced to admit that his club might have to cash in on Koch ahead of next season.
“At the moment, I can’t say whether Robin will play for another club next year. No player is not for sale, we can’t afford (to say) that,” he told Sky Sports Germany .
“We are a club which rely on transfer proceeds. The most important thing for us is that we are financially healthy.”
