Leeds ready to soar once again

LONDON • Leeds United have only reached "base camp' after securing promotion to the Premier League and their vision is to return to the Champions League in the coming seasons, chief executive Angus Kinnear has said.

Leeds were promoted to the Premier League on Friday after second-placed West Bromwich Albion's loss at Huddersfield Town before being confirmed as champions with Brentford's defeat by Stoke City on Saturday.

Marcelo Bielsa's men did not take their foot off the gas and reached 90 points yesterday with a 3-1 win at Derby.

Ahead of their final Championship match this week, Leeds want to dream big again.

"Whilst we're celebrating, whilst we're all very excited, we've got back to where we belong. This really is base camp for Leeds," he said.

"Now, it's going to be really about building on that and making sure that over the next few years, we start to compete at the level Leeds should be competing in, which ultimately is the top six.

"Leeds should have a Premier League team. Candidly, Leeds should have a Champions League team and that's the vision."

The top four remains an incredibly tough group to break into - only Everton and Leicester, when they secured the league in 2016 - have managed to upset the hegemony of English football's "Big Six", dating back to the 2004-05 season.

Even Leeds, during their last heyday when they played European football for five consecutive seasons from 1998 to 2003, qualified only once for the Champions League during that period.

However, Kinnear, who was appointed in 2017, believes the sleeping giants, who reached the 1975 European Cup final and the 1973 Uefa Cup-Winners' Cup final, must strive to hit those heights once again.

If Leeds are to do the unthinkable and shake up the established order, 64-year-old manager Bielsa will have to remain at the helm.

Such has been his impact at Elland Road since arriving in June 2018 that the former Argentina coach has been linked with clubs like Fiorentina and Roma.

His contract is due to expire at the end of the season but Kinnear feels Bielsa is in for the long haul.

"He has a review, he knows the direction he wants to take the club in," the Leeds chief said.

"The challenge with Marcelo is his intentions are always a bit of a mystery... think he's fallen in love with the club. I think he's committed to it."

The players, meanwhile, are still basking in their achievement as Championship winners.

Captain Liam Cooper said: "I'm absolutely delighted. This club has been in the doldrums for 16 years and to be part of the club and this group of players is honestly unbelievable."

REUTERS