Pontus Jansson has been looking back on his spell with Leeds United, revealing that Marcelo Bielsa felt he was amongst the Championship’s best performers last season.  

Leeds finished third in the Championship table last season, with Bielsa’s side eventually missing out on automatic promotion after a fierce race with Norwich City and Sheffield United.

Then, Leeds threw away a two-goal aggregate lead in the play-offs to miss out on a Wembley showdown with Aston Villa.

Subsequently, Jansson moved out of Elland Road in the summer and linked up with Brentford, with a breakdown of relationship with Bielsa reported at the time.

Nevertheless, Jansson has been reflecting on the kind words Bielsa had for him, with the 29-year-old talking about what the Argentine really thought of the Brentford skipper.

Speaking to Kvallsposten, Jansson said: “I received a great deal of praise last year.

“Bielsa said I was the best player in the league, the best in his team and my name were very visible.”  

Jansson’s centre-back partner, Liam Cooper, was skipper at Elland Road, but Jansson has taken on that burden at Griffin Park, leading Brentford into play-off contention.

Speaking of how he’s adapted in London, Jansson continued: “This year, I have matured both as the captain and as the leader.”

QUIZ: Leeds United through the decade – How much do you remember about the 2018/19 season?

The Verdict  

Bielsa obviously rated Jansson, which is why he was such a regular in a promotion-chasing side last season. He’s an international footballer and someone who looks like he’s good enough for the Premier League.

Yet, there was a clear breakdown in relationship between two big personalities, which led to Jansson’s exit.

However, whatever the pair thought of each other doesn’t mean Bielsa didn’t rate Jansson, which he clearly did.

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