LEEDS United are on the hunt for a new manager following the departure of Paul Heckingbottom - less than four months after his arrival.

Managing director Angus Kinnear said the Sky Bet Championship club's objective was to bring in a "head coach with more experience".

Here, The Press runs through five of the contenders for the Elland Road hotseat.

Marcelo Bielsa

Argentinian Bielsa would bring a wealth of coaching experience with him - including a four-year spell in charge of the national team as well as Chile. However, the question remains whether the former Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Lazio and Lille boss could get a result on a cold Tuesday night down at Millwall.

Claudio Ranieri

Italian Ranieri left Nantes at the end of the Ligue 1 season, and continues to hold great respect in the English game from his time with Chelsea and after guiding Leicester to a remarkable Premier League title success in 2015/2016. While Ranieri's unique 'dilly-ding, dilly-dong' approach would certainly wake up a few of the squad down at Thorp Arch, can the 66-year-old be tempted to test himself in the hustle-and-bustle of the unforgiving Championship?

Filippo Inzaghi

At 44, former Juventus and AC Milan forward Inzaghi perhaps lacks the experience which had been suggested by the Leeds board. Nevertheless, his reputation has grown at Serie B club Venezia, who are in the play-offs for promotion to the Italian top-flight. An outsider in the current betting for the Leeds job, Inzaghi would certainly be a gamble - but once which Italian owner Andrea Radrizzani may well feel is worth taking.

Sam Allardyce

Former England boss Allardyce could perhaps count himself somewhat unfortunate to have been out of a job this summer after doing what was asked of him by keeping Everton up - and more with an eighth place finish in the Premier League. At 63, Allardyce may look to take some well-earned time off rather than throw himself straight back into action next season. While not afraid to wade in outside the top flight, as he did with West Ham, it might take an offer too good to refuse to temp him again.

Mick McCarthy

The 59-year-old Yorkshireman is ready to take on a fresh challenge after leaving Ipswich shortly before the end of the season, where he endured a testing relationship with a vocal section of the Portman Road fanbase towards the end of his five-and-a-half-year spell. The former Republic of Ireland boss, though, would not be fazed by the expectation at Leeds - and his no-nonsense, pragmatic approach to management could be just what the doctor ordered. McCarthy won the Championship with both Sunderland (2005) and Wolves (2009) and if he completes the treble with Leeds in 2019, the Barnsley-born boss would find himself right at home among the Elland Road faithful.