Haigh - Leeds are looking to buy not sell
ITV 20/12/13
Leeds United Managing Director David Haigh says the club are looking to build for the long-term future and they will be looking to buy talent and not sell it.
Haigh and GFH Capital celebrate a year in charge of Leeds United this weekend and a lot has happened in their twelve months at the club.
Having endured years of seeing Leeds sell all their talented players with Febian Delph, Max Gradel, Johnny Howson, Kasper Schmeichel and Robert Snodgrass amongst those sold in the past five-years, the new owners showed their intentions in the summer when they turned down three bids from Middlesbrough for striker Ross McCormack.
They also made the clubs first seven figures signing in eight years when Luke Murphy signed from Crewe Alexandra and Haigh says that is how they want to continue their business. Haigh wants to see talent arriving at the club and not leaving, starting when the transfer window opens in January.
Speaking on ITV Calendar, Haigh said, "Look at what we have done in the past twelve months. We have retained our talent, we have brought in new talent in and we have extended contracts of the players we want to keep.
"It is not our intention to get rid of Ross. He is a fantastic player, we have extended his contract, he is an amazing asset and he is scoring plenty of goals for the club.
"We want to keep our talent and retain it, develop the young ones and we want to bring new talent in and that is what we will be looking to do in January."
Haigh is currently part of a consortium looking to buy a 75% stake in the club.
The deal on the table is currently with the Football League for them to ratify and they hope that a deal can be in place in time for boss Brian McDermott to strengthen his squad in January.
Leeds are already being linked with a move to bring former favourite Max Gradel back from St Etienne in France and with Leeds enjoying a good run and currently occupying a play-off place, the opportunity is there for Leeds to make a concerted push for promotion in the second half of the season.
Leeds United Managing Director David Haigh says the club are looking to build for the long-term future and they will be looking to buy talent and not sell it.
Haigh and GFH Capital celebrate a year in charge of Leeds United this weekend and a lot has happened in their twelve months at the club.
Having endured years of seeing Leeds sell all their talented players with Febian Delph, Max Gradel, Johnny Howson, Kasper Schmeichel and Robert Snodgrass amongst those sold in the past five-years, the new owners showed their intentions in the summer when they turned down three bids from Middlesbrough for striker Ross McCormack.
They also made the clubs first seven figures signing in eight years when Luke Murphy signed from Crewe Alexandra and Haigh says that is how they want to continue their business. Haigh wants to see talent arriving at the club and not leaving, starting when the transfer window opens in January.
Speaking on ITV Calendar, Haigh said, "Look at what we have done in the past twelve months. We have retained our talent, we have brought in new talent in and we have extended contracts of the players we want to keep.
"It is not our intention to get rid of Ross. He is a fantastic player, we have extended his contract, he is an amazing asset and he is scoring plenty of goals for the club.
"We want to keep our talent and retain it, develop the young ones and we want to bring new talent in and that is what we will be looking to do in January."
Haigh is currently part of a consortium looking to buy a 75% stake in the club.
The deal on the table is currently with the Football League for them to ratify and they hope that a deal can be in place in time for boss Brian McDermott to strengthen his squad in January.
Leeds are already being linked with a move to bring former favourite Max Gradel back from St Etienne in France and with Leeds enjoying a good run and currently occupying a play-off place, the opportunity is there for Leeds to make a concerted push for promotion in the second half of the season.
