Leeds United points deduction feared after £190m Elland Road development
Paul Robinson fears Leeds United may face future punishment after the amount the club owes in unpaid fees to other clubs came to light.
The Whites’ latest accounts revealed that the club owe up to £190million in transfer fees, with £73million of the total due to be paid by the end of June.
Robinson pointed to the example of Sheffield United being handed a two-point deduction the next time they are in the EFL for defaulting on payments to other clubs (ESPN, 11 April) as a concern for Leeds.
In the Premier League, Everton and Nottingham Forest have had punishments for Profit and Sustainability breaches, while Leicester City could be hit if they are promoted back to the top flight this term.
Finance expert Kieran Maguire told Football Insider (14 April) that Leeds look well clear of PSR limits for 2022-23 but did say the amount in unpaid transfer fees is a “concern” especially if they do not go back up this season.
Reacting to the news in an exclusive interview with MOT Leeds News, Robinson said: “We weren’t aware of the situation when the accounts were made public – it’s a big number.
“I think the worrying thing is when you look at the likes of Leicester facing a potential charge, you look at what’s happened to Everton, what’s happened to Nottingham Forest, Manchester City kicking the can down the road with the potential charges against them.
“And Sheffield United, they’re looking like they’re going to be relegated back into the Championship and start with -2 points.
“So the punishments out there are real, they’re happening and if Leeds United are that amount in arrears there’s obviously a rightening and straightening of the books needed. You’d expect something similar to come their way if that is the case but to carry a debt like that in the Championship is very different to carrying a debt like that in the Premier League.
“We saw Sheffield United go up last season, and if it’s right what we’re led to believe, they kind of had to go up financially. If they didn’t go up last season from the Championship, they were in all kinds of trouble.
“The fact they did go up and didn’t really spend or strengthen the squad that much going up to the Premier League – they actually sold their best two players – that gives you an indication of where they were financially going into the Premier League. I just hope that’s not the same situation with Leeds where a promotion is the only way out of this.”
Will Leeds United face similar punishments to Leicester City and Sheffield United?
While the debts at Elland Road will be a worrying sign, there is still plenty of time for the club to rectify those before potentially heading up to the Premier League.
Earning promotion from the Championship could also be key to combatting some of those financial strains, though summer transfers are likely to play the most significant role.
The sale of Luis Sinisterra to Bournemouth should help relax some nerves, while multiple players out on loan this season could be sold in the summer for decent transfer fees.
The likes of Diego Llorente, Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca and Jack Harrison could all be sacrificed to help ease the risk of potential financial punishments.
In other Leeds United news, Kieran Maguire has namechecked the Whites as he blasted the FA over a controversial decision.
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