Ever since he joined last summer, there have been fears that Marcelo Bielsa only saw the Leeds United job as a one-year deal, unless he could guide us to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Club icon Noel Whelan, it seems, also fears that fraught scenario coming to fruition, as he has told Football Insider that he expects Bielsa may not be alone in walking away from Elland Road, if we are still in the Championship next term.
Our former striker turned BBC commentator has claimed that Andrea Radrizzani may also consider whether he wishes to stay on as our Chairman next season, as the Italian has regular spoke on how Championship sides often record losses.
Since he became our sole-owner in 2017, the 44-year-old, who also owns Eleven Sports, has overseen a vast influx of signings.
In our maiden campaign under his ownership, we spent heavily to add 15 new faces, along with five free agents, and three loanees, before hitting the market hard again once Bielsa was at the helm.
Losing both could set us back for years, as another less suitable owner – such as Massimo Cellino – may see the value of players like Kalvin Phillips and Jack Clarke as a way to fund the club via its own means, rather than strengthening to get us over the line.
Whoever fills the void Bielsa would leave may also struggle to get the most out of the squad, as the boss has worked wonders to get the current group to where they are.
Hopefully, then, even if it is via the Play-Offs, we get back into the top-flight this season, and we do not have to worry about what the future would hold without Radrizzani and Bielsa.
“I think, if we don’t get promoted this season, there is a very good chance we will lose Marcelo Bielsa,” Whelan told Football Insider. “In my mind there’s a good chance that the Chairman possibly won’t stay at the club as well, so there could be a lot of changes next year if we don’t hit the heights of the Premier League.
“It’s a great opportunity, we have it in our hands at the minute. I hope it does happen, I hope we do keep Marcelo Bielsa, I hope we do get to that promised land once again because it’s been a long time since Leeds United have played in the Premier League.
“There’s a lot of football to be played, there’s some great teams in the Play-Off positions right now, loads of teams getting momentum right now, like Aston Villa.”