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Paddy Kenny has suggested potential players may be dissuaded from signing for Leeds Utd due to how Marcelo Bielsa conducts his business.

The Argentine is already a cult hero in Leeds after helping to end their sixteen-year exodus from the Premier League. If Bielsa resigned tomorrow, he would go down as one of the club’s greatest ever managers for what he has already achieved.

Bielsa has received widespread acclaim for his transformational effect on the Whites. However, according to former Leeds Utd goalkeeper Kenny, the annual speculation over Bielsa’s future could be a deterrent to the club’s transfer aspirations.

Bielsa signs contracts with the club on a year-to-year basis. While it was known internally he would remain at Elland Road, he did not sign his new contract this this year until August 12 – just two days before the season started.

And it is that uncertainty that Kenny believes may be “putting off” potential new signings.

Speaking to online outlet Football Insider, Kenny said: “Ideally, you’d want him locked into a three or four-year contract. As a player coming in, you want to know that the manager is going to be there for more than one season.

“You buy into his plans for the future when you sign for a club. You want to know what he is aiming to do over the next few years.

“But with a year-to-year contract, you don’t know whether he is going to be there 12 months down the line.

“It might put a few new signings off. But if the owner is happy with it, you just have to trust his word and trust that Bielsa is going to stay.

“He is an excellent manager, obviously. If that’s what they have to do to keep him there, so be it.“

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Bielsa ‘values’ unseen Rodrigo trait

Meanwhile, Leeds boss Bielsa has given his nearly man Rodrigo a huge shot in the arm at his Thorp Arch press conference on Thursday.

Hooked at half-time in two Premier League games already this season, fans and pundits may have been forgiven for thinking Rodrigo’s time at Elland Road was doomed.

Rodrigo, who scored seven goals in 26 Premier League appearances last season, has yet to register a goal or assist this season being used in behind striker Patrick Bamford. Bielsa though believes his work is pretty much unseen.

“Rodrigo from my point of view, even though I substituted him, he played a very positive first half. For a striker it’s very difficult to receive the ball and create danger and I give a lot of value to those actions.

“Rodrigo had had 10 interventions of this type. He was close to creating danger. In none of the actions did he manage to accomplish it. I give a lot of value to his constant looking.

“After you can fail to shine by not finishing the chances or you can fail to shine by not generating chances. And Rodrigo in the first half of the last game created a lot of chances that would have imagined us scoring a goal.

READ MORE: Euro Paper Talk: Paratici plots transformative Tottenham double signing

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