Marcelo Bielsa has been able to keep Leeds United firmly in the hunt for promotion this season despite having to overcome a number of setbacks along the way.  

Leeds have had mountains of problems with injuries, whilst the loss of Samu Saiz ahead of the January transfer window – with the playmaker returning to Spain – was badly timed and Bielsa never brought in a replacement.

Whilst they didn’t replace Saiz in January, they are looking to do so in the summer, with Football Insider linking the Whites with a move for Nick Powell, who is set to become a free agent in the coming months when his Wigan contract expires.

If Powell arrives at Elland Road, the club’s supporters will be absolutely delighted, with the former Manchester United man an excellent alternative to the departed Saiz.

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Promotion is obviously the aim for Leeds this season, but if they remain in the Championship and add Powell to their squad, they’ve got a player that’s more than capable of cutting it in the second-tier. He’s struck six goals and registered six assists in 25 appearances this season, which makes much better reading than Saiz’s no goals and four assists in 19 appearances.

And, in addition to that, Powell is just 25, with the player’s peak on the horizon, which would give Leeds every hope that if they did make it back to the Premier League, the playmaker would be able take the step up to the top table of English football with them.

Saiz’s absence hasn’t derailed Leeds as such, but he’s deprived them of a creative player. However, the Spaniard didn’t score too many goals and he was hardly as productive as he could’ve been in terms of assists in a white shirt.

In a side that has missed so many chances this season, Leeds have needed more from the central playmaker in their side to assist the likes of Kemar Roofe and Pablo Hernandez.

Powell is a player that would have scored goals in the 2018/19 Leeds side, and chasing his signature proves that Leeds are fishing in the right hole to finally replace Saiz and maybe even bring in an upgrade.