Leeds United supporters' Marcelo Bielsa fear put to rest after Premier League development

Marcelo Bielsa will not be the new AFC Bournemouth manager, despite speculation surrounding the Argentine’s future and the managerial hotseat at the Vitality Stadium. The 67-year-old was said to have held talks with the Cherries’ hierarchy over the position which has been filled by interim boss Gary O’Neil since Scott Parker’s departure earlier this season.

O’Neil has now been installed on a permanent basis, having steadied the ship following Bournemouth’s 9-0 defeat to Liverpool which ultimately cost Parker his job on the south coast. Bournemouth are currently 14th in the Premier League table, one place and one point above Leeds. Whites supporters had been concerned that Bielsa may choose to reignite the managerial fire within him by taking over from caretaker O’Neil following Bill Foley’s £150 million buyout last month.

That will no longer be the case after Bournemouth revealed they had agreed an 18-month contract with 39-year-old O’Neil, with the option to extend by a further 12 months.

"Gary did an excellent job on an interim basis and the board are delighted to make his position as head coach permanent,” chief executive Neill Blake said.

"We have been impressed with the way he has conducted himself from the moment he joined the club and feel he has earned this opportunity to continue to take the team and the club forward,” he added.

Bielsa has been out of work since leaving Elland Road in February, but came close to a managerial return with Athletic Club over the summer during the Basque side’s presidential elections. The Argentine has more recently been in Poland and Norway delivering coaching seminars, the latter of which was attended by scores of Scandinavian Leeds supporters.