Barcelona star Lionel Messi has told the club to appoint Marcelo Bielsa as their next manager after he won promotion with Leeds United.

The Argentinian boss is renowned in world football for the work he has done over the years, which includes spells with his own national team, Chile and Athletic Bilbao among others.

And, he has clearly impressed Messi, with The Sun claiming that the the Barca legend has told chiefs at the Nou Camp to appoint Bielsa as Quique Setien's successor for next season.

A failure to win La Liga, due to several alarming performances after the restart, means the Catalan giants are sure to be on the lookout for a new boss, so the news may be concerning at Elland Road given the power that Messi has.

However, there's nothing to suggest that Bielsa will leave and the Whites are in talks with the 65-year-old as they look to tie him down to an extended deal after their promotion to the Premier League. That will be Bielsa's first chance to work in the English top-flight during his illustrious career.

The verdict

This has come out of the blue so it's not something that will cause too much worry, although if it did materialise in an offer it would certainly panic those at Leeds.

In the bigger picture, it highlights just how well the club have done to bring Bielsa to the club, when he is a manager that Messi clearly respects.

So, it's a case of enjoying Bielsa while they can for the fans as they don't know when his time will end but he's sure to have a crack at the top-flight and next season will be interesting for the Whites.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.