Leeds United agree transfer due to ‘damage limitation’ after Finley Gorman rejects Thorp Arch deal – Phil Hay
Leeds United had to agree to sell Finley Gorman to Manchester City as a matter of “damage limitation”, according to The Athletic journalist Phil Hay.
Writing on The Athletic website on 13 December, Hay reported that selling Jack Clarke for £9million to Tottenham in 2019 is a different matter altogether from Gorman’s imminent move to the Etihad, which is said to be worth £1.2million [Football Insider].
The 15-year-old’s exit has already been agreed and Hay reports that Leeds had no choice but to sell him instead of finding out a compensation fee at a tribunal after he failed to sign a scholarship deal at Thorp Arch.
“It was Leeds who were motivated to sell Clarke in 2019, so sell him they did, under no great duress,” Hay wrote.
“But as they found a month or so ago when they negotiated the exit of 15-year-old Finley Gorman to Manchester City, other scenarios involve more damage limitation, in which you have a weaker hand to play. Gorman, one of the best English midfielders on the scene in his age category, had resolved not to sign a scholarship with Leeds and join City instead. So it was either drive up the price with City or take whatever smaller sum the standard compensation process yielded.
“Nobody at Leeds wanted Gorman to go, but facts were facts.”
It is what it is
Leeds can snap up all sorts of youngsters from clubs smaller than them or who don’t have the same financial might.
But then Man City can do the exact same to Leeds.
There’s a pecking order in football and Man City are at the very top of the food chain.
It’s why they’ve suddenly been developing so many top-class players in recent years because they can just about beat everybody when it comes to hoovering up the best of the best.
It’s also why top talent has left the Etihad because of their hoarding habits.
Look at Michael Olise, Cole Palmer, Romero Lavia, Jadon Sancho, Felix Nmecha and Brahim Diaz, for recent examples.
Gorman could buck the trend set by them but ultimately, it doesn’t matter.
If you’re good enough, you’ll progress into a first-team player at a top-tier football team.
If not, you’ll be sent out on loan over and over again until a club lower down signs you up and then there was never any point in really leaving Leeds.
We’re going to keep a close eye on Gorman’s career but it’s a shame that he’s gone to City when he could have been far better off staying put.
In other Leeds United news, Jack Clarke could be in “big trouble” after an incident in the defeat to Sunderland.