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Leeds United manager news as search gets frantic with Andoni Iraola still wanted
Leeds United are “working frantically behind the scenes” to appoint a new manager, and a deal for Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola could still be struck, according to the Mirror.
The Whites have hit a number of stumbling blocks in their search for Jesse Marsch’s successor, none more so than Arne Slot, who publicly announced he would be staying at Feyenoord amid links to the Yorkshire outfit. [Voetbal International, 10 February]
Phil Hay also revealed (10 February) that a deal to lure Iraola away from La Liga was “incredibly awkward” due to the complicated nature of the buy-out clause in the 40-year-old’s contract.
The Mirror (Saturday 11 February, page 65), however, suggested that negotiations weren’t yet dead and buried, and sporting director Victor Orta still holds hope that the Spaniard can be lured to Elland Road.
They wrote: “Iraola is contracted until June and held talks in Madrid with Leeds’ Victor Orta this week, yet hope remains that a deal could yet be struck.
“The Whites are working frantically behind the scenes to appoint a new man before net Saturday’s trip to Everton.”
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Complicated
The ongoing managerial saga is turning out to be a real mess, and Orta must come under scrutiny for his lack of direction in this cubical period for the club.
If you are going to sack a manager in the middle of the season, let alone when the side sits on the precipice of the relegation zone, you need to have a replacement lined up and ready to take the reins immediately.
This, however, hasn’t come to fruition at Elland Road, and it seems like Orta is jumping from one candidate to the next at an alarmingly quick rate.
Clearly, Iraola has always been and still remains the club’s number one target to succeed Marsch, but a mid-season switch was always going to come with its complications. The Leeds board really need to get their act together and get a new manager in place as soon as possible, otherwise, they could risk dropping even further down the Premier League table.
In other Leeds Untied news, click here to see breaking, around-the-clock updates on Leeds’ search for a new manager in our interactive live blog