Leeds United have substantial bills to pay as 49ers seek discount takeover at Elland Road
Leeds United have “substantial bills” to pay this year, meaning 49ers Enterprises have sought a discounted takeover price, according to The Athletic journalist Phil Hay.
Writing in a mailbag on Friday (3 March), Hay reported that Andrea Radrizzani still needs to pay instalments owed on transfers made in the last three seasons.
It is understood that it’s normal practice for Leeds – as well as other clubs – to stagger payments over a number of years but Hay claims Leeds still need to settle a number of outstanding payments.
As a result, Hay reports that the 49ers have “wanted those pending costs to be factored into the price of a deal done now”.
However, the prospect of relegation from the Premier League has muddied the waters as the price Radrizzani is currently seeking is dependent upon the Whites being a top-flight club.
Thrashing out terms
It seems inevitable that the 49ers will eventually own Leeds.
Whether it’s a Premier League Leeds or a Championship Leeds remains to be seen but either way, by the end of January 2024, it’s extremely likely that the NFL franchise will own the West Yorkshire outfit.
Will it be a good thing?
If we’re relegated to the Championship, it should be a massive boost because it would leave Leeds with some of the wealthiest owners in England’s second-tier who’ll be ready to pump cash in to make them a top-flight club again.
As a Premier League club, the 49ers have already had quite an influence with many thinking that the January transfer splurge was funded by them to help attain Leeds’ Premier League status.
In terms other owners in the Premier League, 49ers Enterprises will be small fry.
But Radrizzani does seem to have taken Leeds as far as we can and we don’t have any anger towards him about that at all. He’s always been very up front about his limitations.
He needs to strike a deal with the 49ers at the end of this season though.
What kind of deal it is, however, remains to be seen.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are already considering a change of manager in the summer with this Englishman being eyed up by the club.
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