Leeds United news round-up: £200m transfer claim made as 49ers agree deal
Leeds United remain on course for a place in the Premier League next season despite a setback at Elland Road on Saturday.
Daniel Farke’s side dropped points for the first time in six matches by drawing 1-1 with West Brom at Elland Road, seeing their lead at the top of the Championship table cut from five points to three.
Leeds, however, have come through their toughest three-match spell of the season – against sides sat fourth, second and sixth in the table respectively – with an impressive seven points from nine available.
With Sunderland and Sheffield United both dispatched in the Whites’ previous two matches to put Leeds in the driving seat of the promotion race, the final 11 games could end in glorious fashion at Elland Road.
With a trip to Portsmouth up next, MOT Leeds News rounds up the latest new out of LS11 on 3 March.
Robinson backs Manor Solomon to seal permanent Leeds switch
With promotion firmly within Leeds’ sights and the potential of the Premier League’s financial windfall set to follow it, attention at Elland Road is turning towards just how the Whites can strengthen this summer.
Mowbray’s suggestion of a £200m outlay may not be too wide of the market, and given his seven goals and assists in a white shirt this term, Manor Solomon is one player Leeds will be keen to keep hold of.
Solomon’s future is up in the air at season’s end, and former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes Farke’s side will be in pole position to sign him permanently if they do book that Premier League place.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News on Monday, Robinson said: “Everything suggests this season, the way that he’s played, the way that he’s performed, that he can do that in the Premier League.
“I think there’ll be a few more coming looking for him, but it’s important for Leeds to get there first because he fits that system.”
Tony Mowbray provides £200m Leeds United transfer verdict
Though West Brom became the first team to come away with any points from Elland Road since Blackburn Rovers on New Years’ Day, Tony Mowbray was in no doubt about Leeds’ promotion chances.
While Mowbray was confident in backing Leeds to make the step up to the Premier League this season, he wondered to what extent they’d need to spend in the transfer market in order to stay there.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GD | Points |
| 1 | Leeds United | 35 | 22 | 10 | 3 | +50 | 76 |
| 2 | Sheffield United | 35 | 23 | 6 | 6 | +23 | 73 |
| 3 | Burnley | 34 | 18 | 14 | 2 | +34 | 68 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 35 | 18 | 11 | 6 | +20 | 65 |
| 5 | Coventry City | 35 | 15 | 8 | 12 | +5 | 53 |
| 6 | West Brom | 35 | 12 | 16 | 7 | +13 | 52 |
Mowbray said: “[Leeds] are very, very good. I’m sure in my mind they are going up”
“I think for this football club it’s about what they do in the summer – how much are they going to spend? How are they going to survive?
“There’s always this thing at the back of your mind – ‘what are we going to do in the summer?’ Are Leeds going to spend £200m just to give themselves half a chance?”
49ers Enterprises edge closer to takeover away from Elland Road
Leeds could soon be joined in the stable of clubs under 49ers Enterprises ownership by Scottish giants Rangers, after an agreement in principle was reached with the Glasgow side over a 51 per cent takeover.
The 49ers taking charge of Rangers opens the door to a possible multi-club model involving those at Elland Road and Ibrox working together, but could cause problems if Leeds ever end up in Europe.
Speaking on Sky Sports News (3 March, 12:05 pm), journalist Gordon Duncan said: “It will be interesting to see how that dynamic works – you can run into one or two difficulties.
“If Leeds get back to the Premier League, then into European competition, it becomes a little more complicated as far as UEFA are concerned – but there are various workarounds.
“It’s not impossible for both [Rangers and Leeds] to both play in Europe were that to happen.”