Robbie Gotts is a Leeds United player that has been on the end of plenty of praise recently, as he awaits his debut from Marcelo Bielsa.
Leeds have a rich history of promoting from within their academy, with Leif Davis, Alfie McCalmont and Jamie Shackleton just some of the names to feature amongst the senior team this season.
Yet Gotts is still waiting for his debut, despite the midfielder sitting on the bench over 20 times since Bielsa arrived at Elland Road.
Recently, the Argentine name-checked the 19-year-old, breaking down his best position and issuing high praise.
“He’s a number eight," Bielsa said, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post. "A midfielder, he is not offensive and not defensive, he's a number eight.
"I have never seen a player play with such a dynamic.”
The Leeds boss went on to say: "Also, it’s true he didn’t have games yet. He showed he deserved to play in the first team.
"I wish he would play with the first team soon, but he competes with players with a high level."
So, in wake of Bielsa’s praise, we detail THREE reasons why Gotts will be the next breakthrough act at Elland Road…
His substitute appearances
It must be frustrating for Gotts to be on the bench so much without getting a chance to play, but there are probably reasons for it.
If you look at Leeds’ results, they haven’t been comfortably clear in a game recently, which might be one reason why Bielsa has opted to not throw Gotts on for the closing stages of a game. The last thing he’d want is the midfielder in at the deep end.
However, the fact he is consistently on the bench tells you that he’s valued around Elland Road, and on the day when Leeds are comfortably three or four goals clear in a game, it is likely we will see Gotts for the first time.
In Bielsa’s thoughts
On top of all his appearances on the bench, Bielsa has name-checked Gotts in a press conference and thrown some high praise the way of the midfielder.
The fact that Bielsa claims he’s not seen a player with such ‘dynamic’ is enough to make you think just how good Gotts could be, and with the head-coach watching him on a daily basis, for him to issue that praise surely means a game is only around the corner.
Gotts’ position
Despite having the ability to pay at right-back, Gotts has transformed himself into a very good ‘No.8’, as Bielsa says.
For Leeds, they are currently without Adam Forshaw and Jamie Shackleton, with Mateusz Klich operating as Bielsa’s No.8, alongside Tyler Roberts.
That lack of options for Bielsa means that Gotts’ chance could just be a suspension or injury away.
Klich has never missed a game under Bielsa, but if he was unavailable on the other side of the international break, it might be time we saw Gotts.