Leeds United ‘substantial’ takeover prospect mooted amid Red Bull latest at Elland Road
Finance expert Kieran Maguire does not believe the 49ers are likely to sell Leeds United to Red Bull.
Red Bull have recently agreed a shirt sponsorship deal with the Whites which should help them pay off their significant transfer-related debt.
The 49ers became majority shareholders just a year ago after purchasing Andrea Radrizzani’s stake in the club and Maguire does not expect them to part with a prized asset so soon unless it were to be for a sizeable sum.
Speaking on The Price of Football podcast (6 June), he said, when asked if Leeds could be the next club added to the Red Bull stable: “No, I don’t think there’s any indication of that.
“49ers have been interested in Leeds for over a decade, so why come in, by the club and then sell it on? Unless they can flip it at a substantial profit. But with Leeds having to spend another season in the Championship, which they probably didn’t budget for, I don’t see that being an issue.
“Now, would Red Bull be bad owners? There’s no indication of that – the other clubs they have are pottering along. So I’m fairly relaxed.”
Will Leeds United become ‘Red Bull Leeds’?
While Leeds fans are, of course, happy to welcome strong, savvy owners with the resources and nous to take their club back to the upper echelons of English and European football, they are understandably reluctant to see the fabric of their storied side altered dramatically.
Red Bull’s stable of clubs includes successful European sides such as RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg, but Leeds will be understandably eager to restore their place among the footballing elite under their own name.
Thankfully, the recent culmination of the 49ers’ long-standing ambition to acquire Leeds appears to make any sale to Red Bull unlikely, and their lucrative shirt sponsorship partnership could prove a valuable asset as they seek to win promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking under head coach Daniel Farke, having narrowly missed out on both a top-two finish and playoff final success in 2023/24.
In other Leeds United news, Graeme Bailey has made a transfer prediction about Willy Gnonto.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.