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Finance Expert reacts as £100m plans for 49ers hang by thread at Leeds United
We’re delighted to welcome football finance expert Dr Daniel Plumley as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Leeds United...
Dan Plumley has insisted that plans to redevelop Elland Road will likely be put on hold if Leeds United are relegated from the Premier League this weekend.
The Daily Mail has recently reported that the 49ers have £100million plans in place to kickstart the expansion of the stadium should the Whites remain in the top flight.
Plumley admitted that the financial gap is “huge” between the top two tiers in England, with the plan likely on hold until Leeds return if they do drop down.
“That’s the other side of the coin, not knowing how it’s going to go,” he exclusively told MOT Leeds News.
“The plans are there and ready to activate, but they are also on hold a little bit and can go both ways. In the worst-case scenario, you’ve got to look to balance a little bit and cut costs here and there, but if you survive, you can look to kick on.
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“That’s not to say that those plans don’t happen further down the line if the takeover is committed to that and people behind the scenes involved want it to work down the line, in the short term, it just creates that picture of uncertainty as you’ve got plans to activate either way.
“It’s just when you can activate them, and again, in the modern-day game that is the difference between the Premier League and the Championship, that’s where the financial gap is so huge, as it can be the difference between activating something like an investment plan or putting it on hold for a year or so.”
The 49ers Enterprises will likely have their eyes fixed firmly on Elland Road this weekend, with a takeover now likely regardless of what happens.
Relegation would mean a cheaper purchase price for the NFL-based consortium, but with revenue dropping, their big-time plans may need to wait.
In other Leeds United news, the club may now face a losing battle to keep their star player at Elland Road beyond the summer transfer window.