Andrea Radrizzani names mistake he made when selling Leeds to 49ers Enterprises

There were few tears shed by Leeds United supporters when Andrea Radrizzani sold up in July 2023.

The Italian initally bought 50 per cent of Leeds in January 2017, before completing a full buy out just a few months later.

Radrizzani was the owner when Marcelo Bielsa was hired, and when Leeds returned to the Premier League in July 2020.

However, things turned sour after a series of poor decisions, including sacking Bielsa in February 2022 and poor recruitment that following summer.

Eventually, Radrizzani concluded a £170million sale to 49ers Enterprises, who had held stakes in the club since 2018.

Now, though, Radrizzani has opened up on selling Leeds, claiming he made one mistake when doing so.

What mistake does Andrea Radrizzani think he made with Leeds United sale?

Radrizzani's decision to sell was exacerbated partly by Leeds' relegation to the Championship in 2023.

Had Leeds stayed in the Premier League, it could have cost the 49ers £475m due to an agreement struck with Radrizzani (BBC Sport).

Since selling to the 49ers Enterprises, Leeds have been on an upward trajectory, returning to the Premier League by winning the Championship in 2024/25.

Reflecting on that time period, Radrizzani thinks he sold up for too low of a price and says he was "overwhelmed" by Leeds' relegation.

Speaking to SportsPro, Radrizzani said: "Unfortunately, the mistake was to sell too soon. We sold at the lowest. Normally, you don’t sell at the lowest.

“I was overwhelmed by the relegation, so it was a great decision for my mental health. Business wise, it was not a great decision because I sold at the lowest and the Championship was the bottom in my journey.

“I sold the club at four times enterprise value but I did a lot of investment – I bought the stadium and I invested in the club. It could have been much better if we stayed in the Premier League. But that’s why [football is] like investing in a very risky business, because it’s volatile.”

Leeds can just keep looking forward now

Seeing Radrizzani speak about that period is just a reminder of how good Leeds have it now under the 49ers.

Leeds may have initially returned to the Premier League with Radrizzani owning the club, but some of the decisions made after that, especially when it comes to recruitment, were baffling.

Nowadays, Leeds are a well-oiled machine, and now it is all about just keep looking forward and keep aiming for new heights.

After a busy transfer window, the focus now can be solely on the football and Leeds' attempt to push for the top half and, who knows, even European football.