Atlanta deny interest in Leeds manager Bielsa

MLS Cup winners Atlanta United have moved to play down rumours in Yorkshire that they are chasing Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa.

The club are seeking a replacement for Tata Martino who has taken up the post as manager of Mexico.

Reports of the interest swept across the English and US papers but Atlanta United president Darren Eales moved to dampen the rumours and insisted the Georgia side are not interested in bringing Bielsa over to the States.

“Absolutely not. As far as I’m aware he’s managing Leeds at the moment, so I’m not sure where that’s come from.”

Darren Eales, President Atlanta United

He put the misunderstanding down to a throwaway comment he had made earlier.

“There may be a misconception because I was talking about style of play and I said: ‘If you look at Tata Martino, Mauricio Pochettino, when I was at Tottenham, he talked about Bielsa’s style of play’.”

Darren Eales, President Atlanta United

United won MLS Cup in only their second season as a member of the league, beating Portland Timbers 2-0 in the final in front of over 72,000 people in Atlanta.