Marcelo Bielsa once had ‘not normal’ gem on loan at Leeds United, current duo are emulating him under Daniel Farke

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Leeds United are eyeing promotion under Daniel Farke, just as they did under Marcelo Bielsa in 2019/20.

The Whites were always expected to compete this season, having fallen just short last year after losing the play-off final to Southampton at Wembley.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	36	22	10	4	72	23	49	76
2	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	36	24	6	6	51	27	24	76
3	BurnleyBurnley	36	20	14	2	49	10	39	74
4	SunderlandSunderland	36	19	11	6	54	33	21	68
5	CoventryCoventry	36	16	8	12	52	46	6	56
6	West BromWest Brom	36	13	16	7	46	32	14	55

Despite a disappointing defeat to Portsmouth on Sunday, Leeds are well-placed to make the top two. This team has many parallels to the Bielsa side in that sense, with a play-off defeat followed by a march to the title.

They are hoping to replicate that this time, but not many players compare to just how fantastic and consistent Ben White had been for Leeds during their last promotion from the Championship under Bielsa.

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Ben White’s importance to Leeds and Bielsa in 2019/20

The centre-back joined Leeds on loan from Brighton ahead of the 2019/20 season to replace cult-hero Pontus Jansson, and his calmness and composure in defence were pivotal in helping the team secure promotion.

White played every minute of every game and did more than just replace Jansson at Elland Road; he overtook him in terms of impact, and his performances on the pitch were as consistent as any centre-back in the last 20 years for Leeds.

The young defender had no experience at second tier level, but became the best centre-back in the league that season, helping Leeds to their title win and conceding just 35 goals in the process alongside Liam Cooper.

Bielsa, speaking via Leeds Live after White brilliantly assisted Patrick Bamford in a win against Luton Town in 2019, had the following to say regarding White’s ability: “You can say nothing about that because it’s easy to value what White did.

“It’s obvious. It was a great, brilliant resolution that is a way to describe how football is going. The attackers defend and the defenders are also involved in the building of the attack. It’s not normal that one centre-back give these kind of passes that Ben White did.”

He was so impressive that Leeds made a bid of £22 million plus add-ons in their opening offer. Their third and final bid totalled around £25 million, as per Sky Sports, because Brighton were said to want in excess of £30 million for the then 22-year-old.

Leeds fans were desperate for the club to sign him permanently, but his impressive displays eventually caught the attention of bigger Premier League clubs after Brighton opted to retain him, making his loan spell an unforgettable chapter in the Leeds’ history.

A year later, on 30 July 2021, White signed for Premier League club Arsenal for £50 million, according to BBC Sport, following a strong first season in the Premier League back at Brighton.

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Struijk and Rodon share similarities with Ben White

White is the best centre-back that the club has had since the days of Rio Ferdinand, Lucas Radebe, and Jonathan Woodgate during the early 2000s, and arguably the club’s greatest-ever loan signing.

Although his stay at Elland Road was brief White left a lasting impact on the club. White’s ability to play out from the back suited Bielsa’s system perfectly, and he became indispensable throughout the campaign.

His talent level is now shown on the greatest stages of all, having developed into a regular for a Champions League side. His composure and quality both in and out of possession made him an absolute Rolls-Royce for the Whites during Bielsa’s promotion-winning campaign.

Perhaps not to the same extent, but somewhat reminiscent of White’s ability on the ball — particularly in the aggregate as a pair — is Leeds’ current duo in the heart of their defence in Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon.

When comparing them it is clear to see how and why they are individually, and collectively, such a formidable and outstanding pair of players. Together, they complement each other’s strengths so well for Daniel Farke.

Now, they must get the job done, with Struijk calling for more Leeds control in the final 10 games of the campaign at the business end of the season.