Whisper it quietly but Leeds United are edging towards the Premier League.

The culmination of 16 turbulent years of since their relegation in 2004 could be one of the most headline-making stories of the 2019/20 season, not only in England but across the continent.

There is so much at stake for both Leeds and Marcelo Bielsa’s legacy that failure, having fallen at the playoff hurdle last season, is seemingly not an option.

A run of five straight wins and clean sheets, with three 1-0 wins along the way, is exactly the type of form associated with potential promotion and title-winners, hinting that the foundations have been laid to get over the line.

Leicester City’s logic-defining 2015/16 title victory, for example, attests to that. Claudio Ranieri led the Foxes to five 1-0 wins from their final 12 matches. It is also interesting to note that a run of four straight 1-0 wins preceded an unbeaten six game streak to finish the season.

While that by no means suggests the Whites will follow a similar pattern it does indicate that those hard-fought victories, defined by defensive solidity and a touch of cold-blooded ruthlessness, can provide the squad with the mentality required to answer the toughest of questions when the stakes are truly at their zenith.

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And if they do succeed in their quest for top flight football, it could well enable the club to buck a transfer trend which has persisted since 2016.

Since the beginning of the 2015/16 season, Leeds have been powerless to prevent one of their outstanding players leaving for a top flight club.

In total the Yorkshire outfit have accumulated £45.5m from the sale of five different players, but the recurring trend does represent a notable roadblock for any side aiming to rise into a higher division.

With the exception of Chris Wood, all four of the players who have left Elland Road were young players filled with promise. Ronaldo Vieira may not have unanimously convinced the fans of his quality but that he has started 17 Serie A games for Sampdoria this season suggests he was a player who could have thrived given ample time and guidance.

The sale of Jack Clarke last summer, meanwhile, has generally been perceived as an astute piece of business by the club and that feeling has only been reinforced by his failure to make any type of impact either on his return to Elland Road or at Queens Park Rangers since his January move, with the teenager playing just 95 minutes of Championship football so far this season.

But regardless of the financial benefits of this trend, it’s far from ideal for a side who are perennially striving to earn promotion from a division many consider to be the most competitive and challenging in world football.

It remains to be seen whether the Whites can see the job through, but it’s impossible to escape the feeling that failure to do so could force Kalvin Phillips out of the exit door.

The midfield metronome, dubbed the Yorkshire Pirlo by supporters, is rising in stature and his form has raised discussion regarding a surprise England call-up.

Both Wolves and Sheffield United have been linked with moves for the 24-year-old and emerging interest suggests Leeds will be powerless to stop the Thorp Arch academy product from flying the nest if they remain in the second tier next season; recent history only adds a weight of legitimacy to that feeling.

The merits of promotion require little introduction, but with the promise of top flight football to offer their players, Leeds will be perfectly placed to keep their most coveted talents at the club and end an unwanted transfer pattern.