Redfearn has been acting as caretaker boss at Elland Road since the departure of Dave Hockaday last month and he will remain in charge for Tuesday's Sky Bet Championship trip to Bournemouth and probably Saturday's home game against Huddersfield.

However, Cellino believes Redfearn's strengths are with the academy and he is set to revert to his role of academy manager when the new man takes charge.

The Italian is now back in the country and is looking to appoint a new full-time head coach with a foreign candidate appearing to be his priority.

"Neil's very busy with the academy and I need him in that job," Cellino told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"He's an outstanding coach, a guy who knows how good teams should play, but it would do too much damage to the academy if he stays as (head) coach.

"He'll be coach at Bournemouth, 100 per cent, and maybe on Saturday as well. But I've got ideas about what I'll do.

"I'm thinking about a foreign coach, an international coach who I can work with. We need to meet and talk but I think he could be good for us.

"It needs to be the right man, but I want Neil to be involved with the first team in some way. He knows the young players, the players like him and they respect him. I respect him.

"The academy is his responsibility but I want it to be a team of coaches. He's shown that he knows what he's doing but I can't take him away from the academy completely."

There has been plenty of interest in the Leeds job and the likes of Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - both former Leeds players - have already put their names forward for the position.