Sam Allardyce agrees to become new Leeds manager

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Sam Allardyce agrees to become new Leeds manager

Sam Allardyce has agreed to become Leeds United's new manager as the club desperately bid to stave off relegation, 90min understands.

The Whites have been in dreadful form for a number of months, with the dismissal of Jesse Marsch in February in favour of Javi Gracia failing to yield an improvement in results.

90min reported on Monday that Leeds were considering Gracia's future at the club, with a decision subsequently made to remove the former Watford boss from his post after just 12 games in charge.

Director of football Victor Orta is also leaving Elland Road after almost six years, and Leeds now have turned to Allardyce in a bid to retain their Premier League status.

The 68-year-old's last role in management was with West Bromwich Albion during the back end of the 2020/21 season - when Allardyce was tasked with trying to keep the Baggies in the top flight.

Ultimately, Allardyce was unable to do so, but he has a proven track of record of improving the fortunes of struggling sides and organising defences that are conceding too many goals.

That's something that has been a huge concern in recent weeks at Leeds. The Whites have been drubbed 6-1 by Liverpool, 5-1 by Crystal Palace and 4-1 by Bournemouth and Arsenal under the watch of Gracia, who sources have confirmed to 90min lost the confidence of players.

Allardyce famously kept Sunderland up during the 2015/16 season against all odds, with spells at Crystal Palace and Everton also delivering Premier League safety.

Earlier in his career, Allardyce turned Bolton Wanderers from Premier League strugglers into UEFA Cup participants, in what was a hugely successful spell in charge, while he's also had stints as Blackburn, Newcastle and West Ham boss.

England also came calling in July 2016, though his time as national team manager came to an abrupt end following an undercover sting operation.