The Athletic's Phil Hay has delivered a major update on Leeds United's transfer plans for the end of this season.

What's the story?

Marcelo Bielsa's side have enjoyed a superb return to the Premier League following their promotion last summer, finding themselves just five points off reigning champions Liverpool.

Now, Hay has revealed the Whites could make up to five new signings when the season is over, and that "for the first time they'll move on from a small section of the Championship old guard".

Hay added that with Bielsa keen to maintain a small squad, departures will be just as important as any potential incomings, with Andrea Radrizzani wanting Leeds to emerge from their "Championship skin".

Bielsa should be buzzing

Given how Leeds finally saw all their hard work in recent seasons under Bielsa pay off with a first-placed finish in the Championship last season, it was perhaps unsurprising that the Whites didn't look to completely revamp their squad ahead of their return to the top-flight.

Bielsa has never been one to just blow things up completely and start afresh, instead, he's known to show his trust and faith in the players who brought the club up in the first place.

The Whites did make a couple of significant additions in the likes of Diego Llorente and Raphinha, with the latter in particular looking more and more like a bargain with every passing game.

But ultimately, if Leeds are to take that next step, new signings in the mould of a Raphinha need to be made, and while that may mean tough decisions on some of the players who have served the Yorkshire club so well recently, it's only for the better.

It's exactly why Leeds' plan to bring in up to five new players should have Bielsa buzzing. The Whites seem intent on not just settling with Premier League football, but marching forwards as ever and the manager will likely be keen to start yet another phase of the Leeds re-build with money to spend and with change on the horizon.