Leeds United have announced they have appointed Paul Heckingbottom as their new head coach on an 18-month deal running until the end of next season.
The Championship giants sacked Thomas Christiansen on Sunday following a miserable run of results and have prised Heckingbottom away from rivals Barnsley after triggering a £500,000 release clause.
Heckingbottom, who only signed a new Barnsley deal on Friday, has built an impressive reputation during his short managerial career, guiding Barnsley to 14th in the Championship last term during his first full season in charge as permanent boss.
Barnsley are only one point above the bottom three in the Championship but Leeds have seen enough to hand the Yorkshire-born 40-year-old the reigns at one of England’s biggest clubs.
Heckingbottom’s first task will be to arrest Leeds’ alarming slump in form. The Whites are winless in their last seven matches, losing five of those to slip right off the promotion pace.
Leeds, who have also received four red cards in their last five matches, are seven points adrift of the top six, while only Hull are currently on a longer winless streak in the Championship (9).
