Leeds United could rue missed windfall opportunity amid Raphinha development
Leeds United could be set to rue their decision to not include a sell-on clause in Raphinha’s sale to Barcelona amid transfer links to Liverpool and Manchester City.
The Brazillian was a fan favourite at Elland Road before his £59.2 million sale to Barcelona in the summer of 2022.
Given the fee received, it proved to be a decent deal for the Whites but a failure to include a sell-on clause (Graham Smyth) could prove to be a grave mistake from the club.
According to Mundo Deportivo (17 December), Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are keeping an eye on Raphinha’s situation at Barcelona ahead of a potential swoop
While no fee has been indicated ahead of a potential exit from the La Liga side, Leeds could have potentially set themselves up for a potential windfall had they included the clause and it may be a decision that gets rued if any further developments emerge.
Leeds United to learn from Raphinha mistake
Their failure to include a sell-on clause in the deal is something the club would be unlikely to replicate in the future.
The Whites have several players who will undoubtedly be of interest to clubs higher up the food chain with Ao Tanaka likely to be of interest to Premier League clubs.
Given how reluctant many sides are to spend big on Championship players, the addition of future bonuses and clauses can often be crucial financially for those outside of the top division and it is something Leeds must consider ahead of any potential sale.
Tanaka, Pascal Struijk and several others will have their suitors and the Whites simply have to be smarter when negotiating future sales.
January could provide an interesting prospect to see how well Leeds can hold their resolve on the future of their own players while attempting business of their own ahead of their push for promotion back to the Premier League.
In other Leeds United news, one signing could guarantee promotion for the Whites.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.