Leeds United transfer rumours: Leeds player reportedly attracting interest from Euro giants, Real Madrid 'set to rival' Whites for attacker

A report emerged claiming the midfielder had undergone surgery on his hamstring and would be missing for two months, but the Whites’ head coach had no update when he sat down with the press to preview tonight’s clash with the Premier League title hopefuls.

"No new injuries from the last game, no new players returning and I can't clarify anything on Kalvin at the moment," said Bielsa.

"At the moment I have no precise news over his hamstring over his shoulder."

Liam Cooper, Phillips and Patrick Bamford all missed the trip to Chelsea with hamstring problems sustained in the game against Brentford. Whites captain Cooper appeared to fall awkwardly early in the first half at Elland Road and was forced to leave the game, heading straight down the tunnel holding his hamstring.

Phillips hurt himself in the second half and was signalling to the Leeds bench that he would have to come off as the Bees attacked and scored. Bamford, who grabbed a late equaliser against Brentford, also picked up an injury.

Pascal Struijk, one of Bielsa's options to replace Phillips, was unavailable for Brentford through a hip problem and was set to return at Stamford Bridge until he picked up a knock in training on Friday. Pain in his foot kept him out of action against Chelsea and appears set to rule him out tomorrow.

"The injury Pascal has is not very frequent," said Bielsa.

"An explosive movement made two bones in his feet collide together, that doesn't generate an injury, no articulations or muscular, it has the effect of a knock on his bone. That generates pain and until that pain disappears it's going to prevent him from playing.

"Sincerely in my whole career I've never seen anything like that. The same as Rodrigo's injury in his heel, which only disappears if the pain disappears, which I also haven't seen in many years. The specialists who treat it say there are very few cases like it."

Another of the potential deputies for Phillips, German international Robin Koch, hasn't played since the opening day of the season when Leeds were beaten at Old Trafford by Manchester United. A pelvic problem that eventually required surgery in the United States had been overcome but a recent bout of illness then kept him out of training to further delay his return.

And Rodrigo's heel problem resurfaced to leave Bielsa light on attacking options for the game at Stamford Bridge. Despite that, Daniel James - playing in an advanced role on the opposite side to Raphinha - won a penalty that the Brazilian duly converted, before Tyler Roberts assisted Joe Gelhardt's first Premier League goal, giving the head coach plenty to think about as he picks a team to face Manchester City.