Leeds United president Massimo Cellino on buying back Elland Road and Red Bull rumours - leedsunited.com 5/11/14
Leeds United president Massimo Cellino says the club plans to re-purchase Elland Road stadium when the time is right, while also dismissing the recent media speculation regarding Red Bull.
The iconic stadium , which United have occupied since 1919, was sold in 2004 in a bid to reduce debts following relegation from the top-flight.
Since taking charge of the club earlier this year, the president made buying back the ground one of his top priorities and he insists that remains the case.
"We still have the chance to buy the stadium," he explained. "Buying the stadium today would be rushing too much, it could hurt the club.
"As soon as we buy the stadium we are rich, because we will save a lot of money in rent. We need to buy the stadium back.
"It is some money that we don’t have to throw away on rent and we can spend that money investing in players that will win more games .
"As soon as I can, I will do it. Let’s say we are not allowed yet with the previous dealings that have been done here. We have to work it out."
Meanwhile, recent reports have suggested energy drinks company Red Bull had shown an interest in the club, but the president reassured fans that he has no intentions of selling as he plans for the long-term.
"We are called the Whites, we don’t like the red colour very much," he said.
"I think that this club needs continuity, to understand that someone is working for the next 10 years and is programming the work.
"It’s not programming to make money and sell this club and sell lies to the people.
"The truth is that we have to work for this club and fix this club, and we are working hard to do that.
"The news that someone wants to buy the stadium apparently means that we are selling, we are looking for someone to buy. That is not true, that is not our intention.
"So I don’t want to waste our time explaining to people that we don’t want to sell the club. We just want to use our energy to fix this club.
"Red Bull, it could be a good sponsor, a good commercial thing. We attract new sponsors and people who want to invest in Leeds because they trust in Leeds.
"We just started to talk with 10 or 20 brands about the future and what we want to do with this club. We have to attract sponsors and people who want to invest in us, other sponsors and commercial partners."
The iconic stadium , which United have occupied since 1919, was sold in 2004 in a bid to reduce debts following relegation from the top-flight.
Since taking charge of the club earlier this year, the president made buying back the ground one of his top priorities and he insists that remains the case.
"We still have the chance to buy the stadium," he explained. "Buying the stadium today would be rushing too much, it could hurt the club.
"As soon as we buy the stadium we are rich, because we will save a lot of money in rent. We need to buy the stadium back.
"It is some money that we don’t have to throw away on rent and we can spend that money investing in players that will win more games .
"As soon as I can, I will do it. Let’s say we are not allowed yet with the previous dealings that have been done here. We have to work it out."
Meanwhile, recent reports have suggested energy drinks company Red Bull had shown an interest in the club, but the president reassured fans that he has no intentions of selling as he plans for the long-term.
"We are called the Whites, we don’t like the red colour very much," he said.
"I think that this club needs continuity, to understand that someone is working for the next 10 years and is programming the work.
"It’s not programming to make money and sell this club and sell lies to the people.
"The truth is that we have to work for this club and fix this club, and we are working hard to do that.
"The news that someone wants to buy the stadium apparently means that we are selling, we are looking for someone to buy. That is not true, that is not our intention.
"So I don’t want to waste our time explaining to people that we don’t want to sell the club. We just want to use our energy to fix this club.
"Red Bull, it could be a good sponsor, a good commercial thing. We attract new sponsors and people who want to invest in Leeds because they trust in Leeds.
"We just started to talk with 10 or 20 brands about the future and what we want to do with this club. We have to attract sponsors and people who want to invest in us, other sponsors and commercial partners."