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Marcelo Bielsa has finally signed a new one-year contract to remain as Leeds United head coach into a fourth season, the Premier League club have officially confirmed.

Bielsa has committed to Leeds on a year-by-year basis ever since taking the reins in 2018. It has always been seen as a formality that he would remain with them for a fourth season, but the official announcement was lacking. Nevertheless, the manager confirmed his new contract was done and dusted at a press conference on Thursday.

Now, the official confirmation has finally arrived. Leeds have released a statement to confirm that Bielsa will take charge of them during the 2021-22 season. It will be their second in the Premier League under his guidance after they came ninth last year.

The Argentine coach has been the inspiration behind Leeds’ resurgence as a top-flight club. He will continue to be tasked with consolidating that status.

Last season, Leeds achieved the highest points tally of any promoted side in the Premier League in 20 years. Overall, since taking charge, Bielsa has a win rate of 52.85% from 140 matches – one of the best in the club’s history.

He has now committed to 38 more league games, while Leeds will also be involved in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup as usual. Thus, Bielsa has plenty of matches ahead to plan for.

“From my point of view this is an extraordinary club,” Bielsa said on Thursday.

“It’s not often you have a club who designates so much volume of investment to the improvement of the training.

“In this sense, Leeds have made a significant contribution economically for the tools for a manager to prepare his players to be the ideal ones.

“Everything that we need in this area, the club has resolved it with a very high investment.

“Whether that be the pitches, the facilities, the technology, commodities for the work of the players and in this sense, I am very astounded by the conduct of the club.

“I think the most important coaches that world football has would value what this club means in terms of organisation, structure and the public.”

Next on the agenda for Bielsa is an away match against rivals Manchester United in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

Bielsa praises transfer activity

Although he hasn’t technically been under contract for a few weeks, Bielsa has been busy planning for the season ahead.

Leeds have reinforced their squad with the signings of Junior Firpo and Kristoffer Klaesson. At his press conference, Bielsa praised the work of Victor Orta in that department.

Asked about the two recruits, he said: “Very happy. They are very well thought out decisions. Very revised. Very analysed. All the conditions are there for them to have a good time at Leeds.

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“That’s another segment of this club which functions with very high professionalism. For a long time, I have been in pro football and very few times have I seen such a well looked after world like it is here when we sign a player. Marked evolution in this work.

“Every year, the club has reduced the amount of professionals and incorporated very few. This year is another example many more players have left than those arrived. That means players at the club are considered sufficient and adequate.

“There is a very prolific and fertile contribution from the academy. That constantly through the work of the under-18s and under-23s, those are the ones I see, but surely more work at the lower levels. They always have responses to the needs that present the need during the season.”

READ MORE: Noa Lang ‘waiting for Leeds transfer’ but source provides worrying update

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