49ers gear up for full Leeds United takeover with Premier League status critical - MOT Leeds News 14/9/22
Dan Plumley
We’re delighted to welcome football finance expert Dr Daniel
Plumley as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the
biggest talking points at Leeds United...
Dan Plumley has insisted that the 49ers Enterprises are
likely gearing up for a full Leeds United takeover as they were in town for the
Everton clash.
It was shared by Forbes this week that the Whites were
valued at around £690million, but the Finance Expert predicted that the
valuation is closer to £300million at this moment.
Plumley believes that it could happen over the next couple of
years, with three-to-five years cementing status in the Premier League critical
to these plans.
“I think this appears that this is geared up for a full
takeover at some point,” he exclusively told MOT Leeds News.
“Maybe it’s not, and they may be happy with just below the
line, but if you were to look at it and think this is primed for a takeover,
the next question is when? That Forbes valuation stuff is interesting in that
because that is tracking it at around £690million – that is high.
“I would put Leeds United in that £300million bracket, and
it then becomes a case for the investors of when is the right time to strike –
I think Premier League status will remain a factor in this. Maybe you are
looking at three, four, five years and if Leeds are still there, everything
will have boosted a little bit as well, so the valuation will go higher. The
expansion of Elland Road, who funds that? What are the payback mechanisms for
that?
“Maybe not right now, but three-to-five years with all those
things factored in. There is still a load of risks with that, the way I would
term it is there will be a best time, not a right time.”
It will be interesting to see if Andrea Radrizzani stays on
board after working together with the 49ers for so long, or if the American NFL
consortium go at it alone.
The option for the full takeover at a set price remains
until 2024, so it will certainly be one to watch over the next couple of years,
hopefully still in the Premier League moving forward.
