Leeds United closing in on new manager as Huddersfield Town eye wing signing

United ended weeks of speculation about former coach Paul Heckingbottom’s future by sacking the 40-year-old on Friday morning and Bielsa had already been identified as one of his potential replacements with other candidates also under consideration.

Contacts in Bielsa’s native Argentina suggested that talks with the experienced 62-year-old head coach were at an advanced stage this weekend with Whites managing director Angus Kinnear admitting on Friday that United were not planning to wait too long before appointing Heckingbottom’s successor.

While Leeds were considering other candidates, Bielsa had quickly emerged as the strong favourite to take the vacant managerial position with Kinnear having spent time in Argentina last week.

Speaking after Heckingbottom’s sacking, Leeds’s managing director Kinnear said: “Our objective is to bring in a head coach with more experience who can help us reach the goals we have talked about since we became custodians of the club last summer.

“We are confident of making a quick appointment and we thank our fans for their continued support.”

Egypt World Cup winger Ramadan Sobhi is expected to make a switch to Huddersfield Town from relegated Stoke City.

He was allowed by the Egypt FA to head for a medical at Town yesterday after playing for just over an hour of Saturday night’s international friendly goalless draw with Colombia in Italy.

The Egyptian FA said of the 21-year-old: “Ramadan Sobhi is undergoing a medical screening to move to Huddersfield Town and will return (to Italy) this afternoon.”

Ramadan joined Stoke from Egyptian champions Al Ahly for £5m in 2016.

Huddersfield coach David Wagner had also been linked with another Stoke winger in £12m-rated Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri and Lille’s attacking midfielder and 23-year-old Algeria international Yassine Benzia.

Meanwhile, one of Town’s players was yesterday confirmed as heading to the World Cup in Russia, while two others took a step closer to participation.

As expected, midfielder Aaron Mooy has been named in the Australian 23-man squad after head coach Bert van Marwijk cut his original 32-man squad down following the Socceroos’ 4-0 win over Czech Republic on Friday, a game which saw Mooy set up his team’s third goal.

Mooy’s Group C campaign will begin in against France Saturday, June 16 in Kazan.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Jonas Lossl and defender Mathias Zanka are part of the 27-man Denmark squad selected by manager Åge Hareide, who will further reduce his choice by four more by the end of today.

If the Town duo make the final cut, they could face team-mate Mooy and Australia on June 21.