Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson says the chance for players to work with manager Marcelo Bielsa should give the club a big advantage in the transfer market.

Bielsa took over at Leeds back in the summer of 2018 - his first role in England - where he has since won plenty of admirers for his meticulous approach and unique methods in preparation and training.

The introduction of Bielsa at Elland Road looks to be paying off on the pitch as well, with Bielsa helping to turn Leeds into Championship promotion favourites, with the Whites currently top of the second-tier standings with nine games of the season still to be played at some point.

That impact from the Argentine is something that Robinson believes can only help Leeds when it comes to attracting new players in the transfer market, as evidenced by Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte's recent claims that Bielsa and Pep Guardiola are the best two managers in the World.

Speaking about the change that the Whites have enjoyed under Bielsa, the ex-England international told MOT Leeds News: “You see the job that he’s done at Leeds. He’s improved players, he’s taken a team that was 13th or 14th to the top of the Championship. He’s brought players in, he’s improved the team.

“When you get players of Laporte’s stature talking about him like that, it’s why Leeds have got a head start on other teams in the transfer market. Players will want to come and play for him."

Indeed, Robinson believes the attention afforded to Bielsa will come from more than just players, as he continued: “It’s not just players who respect Bielsa, it’s managers as well. You get some of the top class managers talking about him and the way that his football brain is. He’s a football obsessive.

“He’s got a very good relationship with his players – not a close relationship – but a lot of his players have got great admiration for him. It shows the hallmark of the man that he is.”

The Verdict

Robinson certainly seems to have a point here.

When you look at how many players seem to name Bielsa as one of their best coaches in the World, it is going to be hard for others not to take notice, and be intrigued by the prospect of playing for him themselves.

That is something that at the minute of course means coming to Leeds, which could well be seen as a welcome boost for the Whites, given the challenges every club is going to face when the transfer market eventually reopens, as a result of the current situation.