Leeds United turned down a big-money offer for Kalvin Phillips as they feared selling him would mean they would lose Marcelo Bielsa as well, according to a report by The Athletic (subscription required).
Phil Hay revealed in his article that the Whites rejected a bid worth up to £27m for the midfielder as they were scared of breaking a promise they made to their Head Coach.
It was claimed Phillips would not be sold as long as Bielsa was in charge at Elland Road and they have since managed to tie him down to a new five-year contract, although that contract is believed to have a release clause that will be triggered if they do not achieve promotion this season.
Offers of up to £27m do not always come around very often for a club in the Championship like Leeds, so it may have been extremely tempting for them to cash in on Phillips, especially following the recent concerns that have emerged surrounding Financial Fair Play.
However, for all the money that it could have fetched, it would appear that the Whites have made the right decision in rejecting the bid and keeping him at Elland Road, as it means they will keep Bielsa at the helm.
Keeping the South American at the club will perhaps give them the best opportunity of achieving promotion to the Premier League this season as he clearly impressed during his first season in English football.
The 64-year-old has managed to record 27 wins and eight draws during his time at Elland Road, having suffered just 16 defeats in his 51 matches in charge (Transfermarkt).
Indeed, Phillips may have helped that record be as good as it is, as the player has certainly thrived under Bielsa’s guidance.
Last season, the 23-year-old appeared to have the best season of his career to date, as he managed to record figures of 2.6 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 2.6 clearances, 0.6 key passes and a passing success rate of 82.1%.
Furthermore, it seems he may have continued to improve as he has started in fine fashion once again and continues to be effective for Leeds. According to WhoScored, he has an average of 4.7 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.8 clearances this season so far.
Leeds have perhaps done the right thing in resisting a big-money offer for their star player in order to give themselves the best chance of reaching the Premier League next season.
Bielsa appears to be the manager that has given them the best chance of achieving that feat and losing him could have, potentially, been a bigger disaster than what losing Phillips could have been to them in their pursuit for top-flight football.
Leeds fans, do you think the club were right to reject the offer for Phillips in order to keep Bielsa at the helm? Let us know your thoughts by sharing them in the comments section below!
