Leeds United would’ve been privately thrilled with controversial sale after Kinnear admission
The Leeds United board are likely to have been very content to have sealed the sale of Georginio Rutter after a recent admission from Angus Kinnear.
During the meeting at Elland Road between key figures on the club’s board and the Supporter Advisory Board on 15 August, the Whites’ CEO reassured online attendee Jay Bhatt that the club would comply with PSR rules.
It proved to be a quick fix, as four days later Rutter became the latest high-profile star offloaded from the squad in a £40million deal to Brighton & Hove Albion [BBC Sport, 19 August].
As confirmed in the officially published minutes, the exchange with Kinnear transpired as follows: “Jay [Bhatt] asks for an update on PSR (profit and sustainability rules) given player sales.
“AK [Kinnear] says it is tight because of Premier League relegations, but the club will be be compliant with PSR rules.”
Leeds United execute fire sale to comply with PSR
Given the dangers Leeds were facing early on in the transfer window, it was never going to be an enjoyable summer for the Elland Road faithful.
Rutter, however, was the sale to bring in the highest amount – dwarfing Crysencio Summerville to Kinnear’s former club West Ham, and Archie Gray’s switch to Tottenham which was rushed to be completed before the end of June for PSR reasons.
In addition, Leeds fans were hoping Summerville would be the last of the star-studded squad to leave in a lucrative deal – the Rutter deal receiving a fair amount of backlash to the board.
Daniel Farke and the recruitment team were, at the time, also really struggling for replacements, and were being quoted a king’s ransom for certain targets by clubs who took advantage of their increasing desperate situation.
Leeds are consequently working with just 23 first-team players, the smallest number in the Championship, and are operating on a tightrope whilst injury fears loom.
In the boardroom, however, the summer window is likely to have been considered a rousing success and privately, even if there was no outward admission, there were some who were probably thrilled with the Rutter sale.
In other Leeds news, there is still a danger of the club losing another first-team player this week.
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