Leeds United manager Bielsa hails 'complete player' Raphinha

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has hailed Brazilian sensation Raphinha as a 'complete player' as speculation surrounding the winger's future intensifies.

The 24-year-old arrived from Rennes in a £17million switch following Leeds' promotion and is proving arguably the bargain of the Premier League season.

Barcelona and Liverpool have been linked with a player who has scored four goals and provided four assists this season for Bielsa's side.

The Argentinian, acknowledging the role played by director of football Victor Orta in signing Raphinha, said: 'Victor has a way of doing things which is very extensive and he's very thorough in how he goes into the minute details.

'An evaluation was done on Raphinha like we do in all players we sign and I know this evaluation of players has been happening a few years now.

'Why has Raphinha done so well for Leeds? He's had the opportunity to see what the Premier League is all about and then been able to do what's required of him.

'He's a player with physical, technical and mental resources which have allowed him to compete and has good physical attributes for his position.

'He's quick and he can sustain that over a long distance. Raphinha is also a winger who can dribble and knows when to attack the space in behind. He's a complete player.'

Bielsa, who has flatly rejected the idea that he could help to appoint his eventual successor when he leaves Leeds, takes his side to Arsenal on Sunday with a top-half finish in sight.

Yet the 65-year-old has warned his players against complacency, saying: 'The positions are only definitive when you've effectively finished in them.

'But I think that the team have shown it can compete regardless of our position in the table.

'This has been shown in games where we've been behind by a big margin and we've continued to compete in the same manner.'

England midfielder Kalvin Phillips could miss out for Leeds after picking up a calf strain in Monday's 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace.