Funny Leeds United twist at Elland Road after Red Bull update as decade-old Phil Hay post emerges
Leeds United have had a difficult couple of days on the pitch following their playoff defeat, but they have been quick to get back to work on non-footballing matters.
Reports emerged from Phil Hay on Thursday (30 May) that the Whites’ owners 49ers Enterprises have agreed a deal to sell a minority stake in the football club to Red Bull ahead of the start of next season.
The two parties’ negotiations have meant that they will not only become investors at Elland Road, but they also will take over as Leeds’ front-of-shirt sponsor next season, replacing Boxt.
Few supporters or journalist would have expected this deal to have emerged at this point of the campaign and it has come as a major twist even to Hay after an old tweet emerged from The Athletic journalist.
Writing on X back in 2014, Hay said: “Red Bull statement: “We can confirm that Red Bull has no plans to take over Leeds United nor take a stake in the club.”
Will Leeds United be taken over by Red Bull after new investment at Elland Road?
While 10 years is an incredibly long time in the world of football, Hay’s old tweet shows just how much things have changed in the last decade at Elland Road, particularly since the 49ers Enterprises took over the reins.
The likes of Will Ferrell and Russell Crowe are also minority investors in Leeds United, which very few supporters would have expected to be the case only a matter of months ago.
Although all these new investors will only take up minority stakes at Elland Road, it will only help Daniel Farke’s side off of the field as more money could be available to the German heading into the summer transfer window.
Perhaps a relationship could be struck between the Whites and other clubs under Red Bull’s umbrella in the future to help them sign players from the brand’s clubs around the world. All in all, this feels like a win-win for the Whites.
Ultimately, this old Hay tweet acts as little more than a funny reminder of just how much football and Leeds as a club has changed in the last 10 years.
In other Leeds United news, Graham Smyth has shared a new transfer admission around Archie Gray’s future at Elland Road
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