Andrea Radrizzani burns bridges with 49ers as Leeds United ‘tipping point’ emerges – Phil Hay
Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers Enterprises relationship was not as smooth as it was conveyed to be in public by Leeds United, according to Phil Hay.
Details of the 49ers Enterprises and Radrizzani’s “thorny” relationship have been detailed by Hay in an article published by The Atheltic (28 June).
He described how the club viewed it as important that the two sides were perceived to have a positive and agreeable relationship, but things were not so smooth behind the scenes.
The “tipping point” was the revelation that Radrizzani and a group of separate investors had offered Elland Road as collateral for a loan which the group were considering using to purchase Serie A side Sampdoria.
This was the point of no return and only fueled the 49ers’ determination to buy Radrizzani out, the possibility of any future working relationship between the two was now well and truly dead and buried.
Good riddance
Leeds fans will be glad to see the back of Radrizzani following the Elland Road scandal.
A club stadium is like a second home for many fans and offering it as collateral would have been seen as unforgivable to the Leeds faithful and the 49ers clearly shared that same sentiment.
The details published are fascinating and offer a greater insight into the takeover that has dominated the headlines, but many fans will now wish to simply move on from the saga and start afresh under the full control of the 49ers Enterprises.
With Radrizzani in the rearview mirror, the club now has a mission on its hands following relegation from the Premier League and the 49ers Enterprises’ first task as majority owners will be to get the club out of the Championship and back where it belongs.
Whether or not they can do that remains to be seen, however. One thing is sure, though, they will be attempting to do it without Radrizzani.
In other Leeds United news, a new manager should be announced once the takeover is fully completed.