Phillips suggests ‘message from Bielsa’ after confirmed Roberts news at Leeds | OneFootball

Marcelo Bielsa will tell Tyler Roberts that he needs to aim for greater consistency now he has signed a new contract with Leeds United.

That is according to ex-Premier League goalscorer Kevin Phillips, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after the versatile 22-year-old’s new deal keeping him at Elland Road until 2024 was announced on 9th June.

Roberts was set to enter the last 12 months of his contract and, as revealed by Football Insider on 15th May, was attracting interest from Newcastle United.

The 13-cap Wales international made 27 appearances in 2020-21 but just 14 of those were starts.

But Roberts has the ability to better those numbers and become a more established member of Bielsa’s starting XI, claims Phillips.

He told Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs: “Now he’s put pen to paper, I think he can really kick on.

“The club have tied him down and the player is happy to stay. Now he’s got to go start playing regularly and consistently.

“He’s got qualities and we’ve seen that but now he’s got to go and do it on a regular basis. That’s the message from Bielsa now that he’s signed his deal.

“It’s peace of mind as well, he hasn’t got to worry about that now, it’s done. You’ve just got to concentrate now on finding that consistency and improving.”

Roberts signed for Leeds from West Brom in January 2018.

He has gone on to feature 82 times in total for the club and scored eight goals.

In other news, Leeds United set sights on signing Croatia international who was title winner in 2020-21.