---
title: "Leeds: Marcelo Bielsa would ‘welcome’ Ronaldo Vieira signing"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-marcelo-bielsa-would-welcome-ronaldo-vieira-signing/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Leeds United"
published: "2022-01-04T19:40:28Z"
modified: "2022-01-04T19:40:28Z"
---

# Leeds: Marcelo Bielsa would ‘welcome’ Ronaldo Vieira signing

**Marcelo Bielsa would ‘welcome’ the return of Ronaldo Vieira to Leeds United in the [January transfer window](https://www.givemesport.com/1754870-january-transfer-window-2022-when-does-it-open-when-does-it-close-and-which-players-are-going-to-move), according to a new report which has emerged this week.**

### The Lowdown: Vieira profiled

The 23-year-old enjoyed a good spell with the Whites during their Championship days, making [71 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ronaldo-vieira/alletore/spieler/434676) overall, including 34 league matches in the 2016/17 campaign.

Vieira eventually joined Sampdoria but things haven’t quite worked out for him there, having been shipped out on loan to Verona last season.

It now looks as though the midfielder could leave the club after not playing since last March because of [injury](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ronaldo-vieira/verletzungen/spieler/434676), with Leeds [linked](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-united-news/leeds-whites-closing-in-on-ronaldo-vieira/) with re-signing him.

\[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″\]

### The Latest: Return on the cards?

According to [*ClubDoria46*](https://www.clubdoria46.it/2022/01/03/calciomercato-sampdoria-ronaldo-vieira-tra-premier-league-e-serie-a/) \[via [*Sport Witness*](https://sportwitness.co.uk/bielsa-gladly-welcome-signing-leeds-united-boss-keen-bringing-player/)\], Vieira’s current woes at Sampdoria could ‘push him towards a homecoming’ at Elland Road, with it claimed that Bielsa is personally keen and ‘would gladly welcome him’ back to the club.

The former [three-time capped](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ronaldo-vieira/profil/spieler/434676) England Under-21 international’s current deal [expires](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ronaldo-vieira/profil/spieler/434676) in the summer of 2023, so Sampdoria are running out of time to receive a fee for him.

[Latest Leeds United news!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-29/)

### The Verdict: Nandez alternative?

Leeds are badly in need of midfield reinforcements this month, and given Vieira’s apparent availability, bringing him back could be a shrewd decision.

Granted, his long injury absence is not ideal but he knows the club well and has shown he can perform in Serie A, making [45 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ronaldo-vieira/alletore/spieler/434676) in Italy’s top league.

Vieira won an average of [2.0 aerial duels and 1.3 tackles](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/317179/History/Ronaldo-Vieira) per game at Verona last season, highlighting the defensive expertise he could bring in front of Leeds’ back-line.

Ideally, Vieira would be one of two central midfielders to come in, with a more experienced figure such as Cagliari’s [Nahitan Nandez](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-united-transfer-rumours/leeds-nandez-transfer-latest-last-match-cagliari/) also needed to make up for the loss of Kalvin Phillips to [injury](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kalvin-phillips/verletzungen/spieler/351749), but perhaps the former could be a cheaper option than Nandez given his lack of playing time and contract situation.

***In other news, another player has been backed to join Leeds in January. Find out who it is [here](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-united-transfer-rumours/lewis-obrien-backed-january-move-leeds/).***