Marcelo Bielsa thinks Leeds are signing ‘dangerous’ talent who Pep Guardiola called ‘exceptional’

Leeds United have reportedly agreed a deal to sign an experienced Premier League striker, who Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola have praised in the past

Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola have already expressed their admiration for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Leeds United have agreed a deal for the striker, who is a free agent after leaving Everton.

Daniel Farke has had a busy summer transfer window as the Yorkshire side prepare for their return to the top-flight. The club have welcomed Lukas Nmecha, Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach to Elland Road.

However, it seems that the focus has now shifted towards securing a striker with a proven track record in the Premier League. According to reports, Leeds have reached a preliminary agreement to sign free agent Calvert-Lewin, who previously impressed iconic Leeds boss Bielsa.

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The centre-forward scored 71 goals for the Toffees over the past nine years and has shown he can be prolific when fully fit. While both Manchester United and Newcastle United were believed to be interested in the former England international, it seems that Leeds have outmanoeuvred them.

Calvert-Lewin is now expected to undergo a medical at Thorp Arch before penning a deal with the newly-promoted side. Bielsa, who enjoyed an unforgettable spell at Leeds, had nothing but praise for Calvert-Lewin after the club’s 1-0 victory over Everton in November 2020.

“It’s not easy to neutralise him,” Bielsea said of Calvert-Lewin. “The whole team made a big effort defensively to stop him, especially our centre-backs against him.

“But he had chances to score, and we worked so that the opportunities he had on goal would be difficult ones. But nonetheless, he was a player who was as dangerous as he usually is.”

Given that Bielsa was the one who brought Raphinha to Leeds in 2020, his judgment on forward players is not to be dismissed lightly. The Brazilian winger has surpassed all expectations since moving to Barcelona three years ago.

Raphinha finds himself in the running for the prestigious Ballon d’Or this summer following a sensational season in which he netted 34 goals and set up 25 more across all competitions. His contributions were key in Barcelona clinching a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana treble last season.

Calvert-Lewin will not be expected to reach anywhere near those heights at his new club, but Manchester City boss Guardiola has previously described Calvert-Lewin as “exceptional”. He heaped praise on the 28-year-old in 2022.

“When he is on top, he’s exceptional; long balls, second balls in the box,” Guardiola explained. “He’s a dangerous player.”

While Leeds supporters will be keen to witness precisely what Calvert-Lewin can offer their bid to avoid relegation, the major hurdle the club might encounter is maintaining his fitness. The forward was sidelined for over 100 days at Everton last campaign due to hamstring and ankle problems. Moreover, hamstring and knee issues during the 2022/23 campaign kept him out of action for 223 days.

Leeds will hope Calvert-Lewin can return to peak form under Farke this term, though it remains unclear whether he will be signed and registered in time for their Premier League opener against his former side Everton on Monday evening.

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