Leeds United: 49ers set to see £6m Rasmus Kristensen windfall flushed down drain after Tuesday development
49ers Enterprises’ hopes of securing a healthy £6million windfall on Leeds United loanee Rasmus Kristensen have surely now been dashed following Jose Mourinho’s sacking at AS Roma.
The Italian outfit announced their decision to sack the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager on Tuesday morning (16 January) following a worrying run of results in Serie with Roma sitting five points out of the Champions League places.
It is understood that Roma were prepared to pay at least £6million for the defender’s services after impressing Mourinho at the Stadio Olimpico, as per Il Romanista.
The Italian news outlet reported (8 December) that the 26-year-old’s impressive recent form in Rome has led to the Serie A club wanting to sign him permanently in a £6million deal as soon as possible.
It was understood that an option-to-buy clause has already been agreed with Leeds with Roma set to pay between £6million and £10.3million for the Denmark international depending on what division the Whites are in next season.
However, since then, the Elland Road loanee has struggled for form making a potential deal unlikely but any chance of that now has surely been all but dashed with Mourinho’s sacking at the Europa League 2023 finalists.
The 26-year-old has had a mixed career at Elland Road since arriving from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2022. He was an important player throughout the first half of last season but was shunned to the bench more often than not as the Whites were relegated from the Premier League.
With Leeds exiled to the Championship, Kristensen jumped ship to Roma and has not looked back since. However, it has not gone to plan, with his current team unimpressed by his displays.
The Serie A outfit’s torrid form in recent weeks has ultimately led to Mourinho’s sacking and even reports suggesting that Kristensen will be on his way back to Leeds United in the summer (Gazzetta dello Sport, 21 December).
There would have been a chance for Kristensen to redeem himself for the remainder of the campaign and that possibility still holds should he impress under club icon Daniele De Rossi who has taken over at the Stadio Olimpico but the Italian legend may have other ideas or transfer plans this month.
Mourinho’s sacking has now surely led to an inevitable U-turn on the supposed £6million deal as he is expected to leave Italy at the end of his loan contract dashing the 49ers Enterprises hopes of a healthy windfall.
Once Kristensen returns to Leeds United, it remains to be seen whether Daniel Farke will utilise him at Elland Road but his stock could plummet considerably which makes an even smaller windfall likely once he is finally sold.
In other Leeds United news, another permanent exit does now look inevitable according to Phil Hay.