The Athletic's Phil Hay has dropped a major claim on Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa and his future at the club.

What's the story?

The Argentine has been someone to sign rolling contracts at the end of each season, and after some debate last summer, put pen to paper on a new one-year extension.

Now, Hay has revealed during a Q&A for The Athletic that he feels Bielsa's time at Elland Road might be coming to a complete end once this current Premier League campaign is over.

He said: "My hunch is that this might be his last season. It's only a hunch and the reality is that no-one knows with him. The board and Orta treat the head coach's position like they do recruitment.

"They always have targets in mind in case they find themselves looking for a replacement. It's not disrespectful to Bielsa, it's just the way football has to work. You cannot afford to get blindsided by your head coach deciding to move on."

Leeds fans would be devastated

From taking them from the Championship to the Premier League - and then to the top half of the table in their first full season back - Bielsa has worked absolute wonders at Elland Road.

The Leeds boss himself has gone on record previously to express just how much he loves the club and actually the city as a whole, declaring: "I don’t imagine for my professional future, (there is) anything better than what Leeds represent as a job.

“Given how the club is and the principles they have, due to the public, the stadium, the Premier League, the fans, the project the club is undertaking, the knowledge I have of the club and the people here – I feel integrated with the city and also this region in England and also what surrounds it, Yorkshire. I value the people who surround me." The fans have taken to Bielsa just as much as the Leeds boss has taken to them, and having led them to the promised land of the Premier League after so many years away, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say the Elland Road faithful will be devastated when the Argentine eventually calls it a day. Hay's claim that that 'day' could come sooner rather than later, is sure to really worry fans. There simply isn't another Bielsa.

Meanwhile, Leeds are plotting a swoop for this Chilean...