Steve Parkin: Leeds wouldn't be in Premier League without Massimo Cellino

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Published on:

01 Mar 2021, 1:30 pm

Steve Parkin has claimed that Leeds United would not be back in the Premier League without former controversial owner Massimo Cellino.

The Yorkshire-based millionaire was hours away from taking charge at Elland Road before his takeover collapsed and Andrea Radrizzani eventually stepped in.

Parkin has claimed that while doing his due-diligence, he noticed that Cellino had pumped £45million of his own money into the club.

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, via Leeds Live, Parkin claimed that none of this could have happened without the "nutcase" Italian.

"However, when I did due diligence to buy half the club, I saw that Massimo had put in £45m of his own money," he said.

"When people have a go at him – and I accept he was a nutcase – he’s the only man since Leslie Silver to ever put a single penny into Leeds United Football Club. And we should never forget that.

"Radrizzani, Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds being back in the Premier League would not have happened if it wasn’t for Massimo Cellino."

Parkin has been a Leeds fan since childhood and has considered buying the club twice previously before backing out over their finances [FT].

The Executive Chairman of Clipper has instead plastered his brand around Elland Road in sponsorships and based on his value, it is all he could do now.

In that same Financial Times interview, his value his listed at £190million; for comparison, Leeds are now valued at £300million after investment from the San Francisco 49ers.

Cellino, in his own little way, may have done some good in all of the bad at Elland Road, but this rise to the Premier League and the future is all down to Radrizzani.

In other Leeds United news, Morgan Sanson admits Whites were interested before Villa

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