Victor Orta has revealed Leeds United interviewed Paulo Fonseca in the wake of Marcelo Bielsa's dismissal.
The former sporting director at Elland Road chose to call time on the Argentine's four-year spell at the club in 2022 with Jesse Marsch then appointed as head coach.
Fonseca, a three-time league champion in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk, is currently in charge with Ligue 1 side Lille and has enjoyed past successes with Roma and Braga.
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Orta has, of course, since moved onto pastures new himself following the takeover seen by 49ers Enterprises and now heads up control over operations with La Liga outfit Sevilla in Spain.
Fonseca is well respected with Les Dogues, with Lille currently occupying fourth position in the French top flight. They also look likely to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League.
It is all hearsay to imagine how life would have been any different for one manager compared to the next but with Sam Allardyce and Javi Gracia also faltering at Elland Road, would Leeds' fortunes have been any different under the Portuguese boss?
“It was, to be honest, a really good meeting," Orta recently told The Transfer Room. "These first interviews are really good. They’re like a first date. You say your club is amazing, fans are amazing, chairman is amazing, the city is amazing.
“Easier to say in Seville than Leeds. The coach says I’m good with players, a good leader. It’s normal. Then you take an opinion from a player he trained, a director he worked with. These opinions are subjective.”
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