Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United regime the toughest I've faced, says Pablo Hernandez

The 34-year-old returned to training this week alongside the rest of the Whites squad as United's preparations began for their 2019/20 assault on the Championship.

The Spaniard, though, revealed that the double and triple sessions the Argentine's senior players are facing at Thorp Arch are some of the toughest he has seen during his distinguished career, which has spanned both La Liga and the Premier League.

"I think for me this is the fifteenth or sixteenth season of professional football," Hernandez revealed.

"I think that last year and this year is one of the hardest.

"It's good. It's not easy for the players but we know this. We know we need to work hard now to arrive in better condition to August and for the first game."

The veteran playmaker also added his belief that the work put in over the summer months can be vital, stating: "It's very important.

"My experiences told me that some teams don't work too much in pre-season. They think for the first game 'don't be 100 per cent' and they prefer to arrive in this condition.

"I think that it is important in this league to start good and arrive at 100 per cent for the first game.

"If you can win the first games and you can see the table after four or five rounds in the league and you're near the top, it's a good motivation."