‘We won’t sit back’ – Leeds anger Championship rivals, club chief calls for ‘transfer embargo’
Leeds United are one of a number of clubs to have angered Championship rivals over deferring players’ wages during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Sun.
Last month, Leeds’ squad agreed to receive reduced wages during the suspension of the football season so that the club didn’t have to furlough non-playing staff.
Although it seemed like a good thing to do and attracted a lot of praise from fans, it has not gone down well with some of the Whites’ Championship rivals.
The Sun claims that clubs who are deferring wages can give themselves a financial boost ahead of the next transfer window opening up.
West Brom, Preston, Stoke and Middlesbrough are among the clubs who are still paying their players in full while Leeds, Birmingham, Wigan and Luton have deferred players’ wages.
One Championship club chief has called on clubs like Leeds to be handed a transfer ban as punishment for deferring wages.
“It is just kicking the can down the road. These clubs should be in for a transfer embargo,” an unnamed club chief told the Sun.
“Why should those who balance the books and pay their players in full be punished? We won’t sit back and watch these teams make signings.”
There is nothing stopping other clubs from deferring players’ wages. West Brom might not have done it but chief executive Mark Jenkins has taken a 100 per cent pay cut and other clubs will have found ways to cut spending.
We are all living in tough circumstances at the moment and football clubs are businesses, which need to try to avoid breaking Financial Fair Play rules and try to stay afloat.
In other Leeds United news, Patrick Bamford has given huge praise to Kalvin Phillips.