'I can add very little to his game' - Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa gives Raphinha free rein to wreak havoc

The Brazilian quickly established himself as an astute signing with his early wing displays, familiarising himself with and adapting to Bielsa’s style of football with ease after arriving on deadline day from Rennes.

But his recent contribution to Leeds’ Premier League campaign, including three goals and three assists in his last seven games, has put him firmly in the spotlight.

Bielsa’s football requires discipline and endless work yet Raphinha has proven himself physically capable of producing repeated sprints throughout 90 minutes, getting up and down the pitch to attack and defend as his head coach demands. The flicks and tricks he pulls off as he glides past top-flight defenders, along with his set-piece delivery and the free-kick he scored against Southampton on Tuesday, give him the look of a complete player, or one who soon will be, at the relatively tender age of 24.

Bielsa readily states there’s not a great deal he can teach the winger, so the best course of action is to give him licence to express his ability.

“He’s a player who unbalances by himself, he’s very ambitious, very competitive,” said Bielsa.

“It’s a mixture that’s not very common because he works a lot and, on top of that, he’s creative and he can unbalance. I sincerely think I can add very little to his game. The best thing you can do with players who are so spontaneous is to let them be themselves.

“Raphinha is a player very necessary because he can unbalance teams by himself. Our game is based on combinations and to have a player who can combine and create in individual actions, that is very important.”

Headlines and transfer talk were inevitable for a player who cost just £17m plus add-ons and has shown himself to have genuine quality, but some of the plaudits Raphinha has been receiving are owed to his team-mates for making his transition from French football to the English game as smooth as possible.

Bielsa speaks from personal experience on how welcoming the Leeds team can be.

“The group here we have at Leeds in the human aspect is the best thing about this experience,” said the head coach.

“All of those who have arrived have been protected and welcomed. The same goes for all the coaching staff, we also felt very welcome and integrated when we arrived.

“Given the profile of the players and Raphinha’s human aspect, everything gelled very well.”