‘Leeds will lose a lot of their players’: Darren Bent sends dire warning amid reported PL update
talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent has said that Leeds United will lose a lot of their players if the 19/20 season is voided.
That’s the one big worry from a Leeds perspective at the moment, with promotion being very likely if the season plays out.
It’s been reported that Premier League clubs near the bottom have been lobbying for relegation to be taken off the table.
If that doesn’t happen they’re threatening to block Project Restart, which plans to play out the remaining fixtures in the Premier League at neutral venues.
Talking on talkSPORT on Wednesday morning, Bent said, “The majority of the football teams want the season to continue, of course, they do, but I’m sure there are going to be teams near the relegation zone… they’re not going to come out and say it because of integrity to the game, but 100% they’re thinking well if they void the season that’s another season in the Premier League.
“But you look at all the teams coming up from League Two, League One, the Championship… The implications for them not coming up is massive.
“I look at Leeds who have been fighting for promotion for years and years. They got close last season and they’re close again now.
“If they void the season there’s no promotion… Leeds will lose a lot of their players by the way. They’ve got a lot of top, top players and that will hinder them next season. I just don’t think you can void the season.”
There’s a fairly short window of opportunity to play the 19/20 season to hit the UEFA deadline of July 31 and if Project Restart does get voted down then there could be a big issue.
Another hope for Leeds is that UEFA has talked about finishing the season on sporting merit, but fellow talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan said that if the Premier League wants to, they can block promotion and relegation.
EFL chairman Rick Parry drew a line in the sand on Tuesday, saying that he expects legal action if the Premier League doesn’t promote and relegate three teams.
It’s all a bit of a mess at the moment, as you can see.
Everyone’s talking from their own point of interest at the moment but we will get more clarity at the next Premier League meeting on Monday.
Voiding the season has never been put forward as a viable option at any Premier League meeting so far.
In other Leeds United news, ‘This is a major story’ – Phil Hay relays news that could have big impact on Leeds promotion