Leeds United set for ‘Fire Sale’ this summer as Elland Road exits expected amid £100m+ claims
Leeds United are likely to have to have a “fire sale” at Elland Road this summer if they don’t earn promotion, according to Dan Plumley.
The Daily Mail (16 May) suggest that the club will need to raise £100million-plus from player sales if they are to lose to Southampton at Wembley in the Championship playoff final.
But while sales will be expected simply because of being in the Championship for a second season, football finance expert Plumley admits that the £100m figure seems too “drastic” to be accurate.
“It is common and I think it might be overcooked slightly,” he exclusively told MOT Leeds News.
“I think £100million seems slightly huge and desperate. I don’t think it will be that drastic. But you do have to look at the dynamics of the Championship versus the Premier League and the players that you’ve got.
“We know that there was some wage reduction clauses in players’ contracts when they were relegated which was a good thing. We know they’ll still have parachute payments if they don’t get promoted again, so there’s a bit of a cushion there.
“I guess what you have to be mindful of now more than anything is that the Championship version of profit and sustainability regulations, because that then means that you’ve been in that league for two seasons and we’ve not seen that set of accounts yet that relate to this season.
“There is always a note of caution with recently relegated clubs that if you don’t get back up quickly then you’re likely to have to sell some players. I just think £100million fire sale is potentially too high at this stage. But I think it’s likely we would see some exits anyway if the club don’t get promoted.”
Leeds United need promotion to keep plans in place
The summer at Elland Road is bound to be hectic, but it could be far less hectic if Leeds are a Premier League club next season.
Should the Whites be back in the top flight then plans will be in place for transfers and even new sponsorship deals potentially, but staying in the Championship makes things a lot more difficult to plan for.
Key players are unlikely to want to stick around for another season in the second division, and it’s going to be hard for the club to reject big offers should they come in.
But £100million is a lot of money and the chances that the club are in that big of a hole are slim to none, so that seems like a clickbait figure.
However, sales will be necessary and things will be made much easier this summer with a win at Wembley. So Daniel Farke and the team know what they need to do.
In other Leeds news, Patrick Bamford decision made in predicted XI v Southampton for the playoff final.
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