Is Tottenham Hotspur defender Juan Foyth really a target for Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds?

With Argentine legend Marcelo Bielsa now in charge of Leeds United, there will be plenty of rumours linking Leeds to all variety of players. The links he has to both Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino have been well documented, so it would make sense that both managers could want to send some of their younger players on loan to Elland Road to learn under Bielsa.

Multiple reports have come out and linked Leeds with Tottenham Hotspur centreback Juan Foyth. Foyth was brought to London last summer from Club Estudiantes de La Plata in Argentina, but the 20 year-old only made eight appearances for Spurs last season, with five of them coming in the FA Cup, two in the League Cup, one in the Champions League, and none in the Premier League.

But is this link all just wishful thinking?

After all, the rumours really seem all too convenient. Foyth is a young central defender from Argentina, and he could be headed out on loan this season, even though Pochettino has repeatedly praised the young defender. Leeds are in need of a new central defender or two for next season, and with the possibility of a loan for young Foyth, it seems like a lot of people are connecting the dots and proclaiming that Leeds, and Bielsa, are interested in taking the defender on loan.

However, there is a stumbling block towards this deal, namely that none of the good “sources” for information about Leeds transfer plans have really mentioned Foyth’s name before, and additionally, it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense for Spurs to invest in him, only to send him out on loan this year after not sending him out on loan last season.

Additionally, the future of Toby Alderweireld at Spurs is not settled, meaning that Foyth could be called upon to be a member of the first team at White Hart Lane next season.

Also, and this is on a personal note, I contacted someone at SBNation’s Tottenham Hotspur site Cartilage Free Captain when the rumours first started appearing for Foyth, and he said that he got the sense that Foyth was going to be involved in the first team plans for Spurs next season, with or without Alderweireld. He also did not get the impression that Foyth would be sent out on loan, even if an old friend of Pochettino’s was suddenly in need of a centre back.

So perhaps this rumour does have some legs and Foyth might spend the year on loan at Leeds. However, this rumour has all the marks of someone looking at a young central defender who is from Argentina at a club that is managed by someone with links to Bielsa. Until these rumours start coming from reliable sources for Leeds, don’t put too much stock into them.