Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has acknowledged that both he and his squad must focus on dealing with the exit of playmaker Samuel Saiz.

The Spaniard had become a cult hero at Elland Road, but the 27-year-old has been loaned to Getafe after expressing a desire to return to his homeland.

Saiz had featured in 19 Championship fixtures this season, and Bielsa has admitted that it may be difficult to find a replacement.

Bielsa is quoted by Sky Sports News as saying: "We see he was a player who had a lot of value for me. I can't say that it doesn't matter if he left because you would tell me then why did he play 80% of the games? Which is my first point.

"My second point is I didn't ask Saiz to leave. I never talked to him about his desire to leave the club. In the club there are people I trust very much that evaluated the situation.

"They took the decision that they thought was the right one. I don't agree and I don't disagree with the decision that has been taken. I can't tell you that I asked Saiz to leave [or I] made it easier for him to leave and that it doesn't matter that he has left.

"We have a group of 18 players and he was one of them. When you put limitations to the number of the players we can't say happily that it doesn't matter when one of the 18 leaves."

Leeds currently sit at the top of the Championship standings.