The Whites boss says the Premier League club were wrong to bring the 20-year-old attacker back to north London in the middle of the campaign
Marcelo Bielsa has criticised Arsenal and Eddie Nketiah for their “unfair treatment” of Leeds after the Gunners recalled the striker from his loan at Elland Road.
The 20-year-old was sent to the Championship side last summer in a season-long deal, but had a limited role in the first half of the season and started just two of his 17 league appearances.
The north London side, who beat Leeds 1-0 in the FA Cup third round this month, brought him back to the Emirates Stadium, and despite interest from other Championship clubs in a loan deal for the second half of the season,Nketiah will remain with Mikel Arteta’s squad for the rest of the season after impressing the new head coach.
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Bielsa, though, is not happy with the way Arsenal and Nketiah behaved by ending the loan prematurely.
“Of course we accept the supporters have some doubts in the team,” Bielsa told reporters when asked about prospective new signings to help cover for the loss of Nketiah.
“The media and press have the same position. We try to analyse if the messages we receive are right or not. Everybody knows about our high point and our weak point. We analyse and try to correct, try to improve and adapt ourselves to the situation.
“About these new players in the team: I have done all the explanations, given all the information, the unfair treatment of Arsenal and Nketiah, the three of them to Leeds.
“When Arsenal choose Leeds, Leeds took an engagement to Arsenal’s decision and Nketiah’s decision. They thought a lot about it. They choose us putting away other options they have.
“We did everything we said we were going to do. So, we have nothing to claim ourselves.”
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The Argentine coach then went on to call out Tottenham for similar reasons after they cancelled Jack Clarke’s loan and sent him to QPR for the remainder of the campaign.
“The same with Clarke. In this moment we don’t have those two players and the club is going to do all is possible to resolve the situation.”
Leeds are second in the Championship after 27 matches, sitting one point behind West Brom.