Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa could enjoy a surprisingly shrewd reunion with Andre Ayew amid Carlton Palmer's transfer claim.

What's the story?

The Ghanaian is set to leave Championship side Swansea following the expiry of his contract this summer, and Palmer has suggested the Whites as a team who should be looking to explore signing him on a free transfer.

The former England defender told Football Transfer Tavern: "Swansea have only let him go because they didn’t get promoted and he’s their highest-paid player. 17 goals in the Championship, 16 goals the season before stands to reason that he will go up and score goals in the Premier League. If he weighs in with 10 or 12 goals for you, and you take him on a free, that could be some good business."

Shrewd signing for Bielsa

While signing a 31-year-old on a free transfer is hardly something which is likely to get Leeds fans excited, it could be the type of smart move which ticks a lot of boxes for Bielsa.

Ayew himself has previously spoken about just how highly he rates the Whites manager and the kind of connection he has built up with the Argentine after their time together at Marseille. The Ghanaian said: "I appreciate Marcelo Bielsa enormously. He is an incredible manager. We had a very very strong relationship at Marseille. And there you have it. That’s all I can say."

Despite his age, it appears that Ayew has lost none of his appetite, with Swansea boss Steve Cooper saying: "We know he has the ability, he can be as good as anyone in the league and he can play at a higher level.

"But the fact he is showing the commitment and work-rate he is, means it is rubbing off on everybody. It is certainly motivating me to see a player so committed to what we are doing."

The 91-cap Ayew is someone has been dubbed as a "game-changer" by his former manager Slaven Bilic, while his Swansea teammate Yan Dhanda is also a huge fan, saying: "Andre is a goalscorer. He scores goals, and if you put the ball in the box nine times out of 10 Andre is going to be in the right position and he is going to score."

With 17 goals in the Championship last season, and the ability to play through the middle and out wide, Ayew would represent an experienced option for Bielsa to add to his squad.

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Given that the Whites manager already knows him from his time at Marseille, along with Ayew's previous Premier League experience, this seems the kind of low-risk signing who could bring decent rewards for Leeds.

Meanwhile, Leeds are keen on signing this Premier League star...