Leeds United chairman teases imminent new manager arrival with 'white smoke' statement

The Italian tweeted on Tuesday evening that he hoped the club would be able to announce a new head coach’s arrival by ‘tonight or tomorrow morning’.

"We are on it,” Radrizzani replied to a supporter querying the appointment. “Hopefully white smoke by tonight or tmw morning,” he added.

In Catholicism, white smoke billowing from the Vatican is synonymous with the naming of a new Pope. The Milan native’s reference suggests Leeds are close to announcing Jesse Marsch’s successor. Forty-nine-year-old Marsch was sacked by the club on Monday afternoon after taking the day’s training and bidding farewell to players and staff at the club’s Thorp Arch training facility.

Under-21s head coach Michael Skubala, along with backroom staff members Chris Armas and Francisco ‘Paco’ Gallardo will take charge of the team against Manchester United tomorrow evening. Radrizzani is due to fly into Manchester on Wednesday where he will meet director of football Victor Orta and chief executive Angus Kinnear at the team hotel.

Despite his bullish tweet, Radrizzani has form for prematurely announcing new additions on Twitter. The entrepreneur took to social media on transfer deadline day last summer, urging fans to welcome prospective new signing Bamba Dieng, whilst vowing Leeds would work on adding then-PSV Eindhoven attacker Cody Gakpo in the winter window. However the Senegalese forward reneged on his agreement to join Leeds, heading instead to OGC Nice’s training ground for a medical, which he subsequently failed, while Gakpo joined Premier League rivals Liverpool in January.

Leeds’ majority shareholder will hope a similar scenario does not play out in the club’s search for a new head coach.