Finance expert details two key concerns over Leeds United takeover amid 49ers reports - YEP 30/11/22
Finance expert Kieran Maguire has been speaking about the potential takeover of Leeds United from the San Francisco 49ers.
By Jamie Kemble
Finance expert Kieran Maguire has cast doubt on the possible
takeover of Leeds United.
Reports have claimed that the San Francisco 49ers group
could purchase a majority of the Whites, having already upped their
shareholding to 44%. Andrea Radrizzani currently holds the majority, but it has
been reported that the York Family, who operate under the 49ers brand, could
purchase the club as soon as January.
But events on the field could cast doubt over the purchase
of the club, with Leeds far from guaranteed a season without a relegation dog
fight, having only escaped the drop on the final day of last season. Naturally,
no buyer will want to buy a club at a Premier League price before watching them
drop into the Championship, and according to finance expert Maguire, that could
be a major concern.
“The 49ers have a good relationship with Andrea Radrizzani,”
Maguire told Football Insider. “They’re still getting their feet under the
table at the club with Paraag Marathe and his involvement.
“But remember, American investors are also facing higher interest
charges and some other challenges back home in the US. I think the focus would
be on domestic issues before necessarily making a full acquisition of Leeds
United.
“It could be that if results are good when the Premier
League comes back, they could feel more positive about doing that deal. There’s
always the outside chance of relegation, and that is impacting the likelihood
of a 2023 deal.”
Fortunately for Leeds, they are in a secure position under
Andrea Radrizzani, who has operated the club in a healthy way over recent
years, with the return to the Premier League being the evidence, likewise the
club’s finances, which were once in a disastrous state. But it’s no secret the
Whites may need a much bigger backing if they want to establish themselves as a
top half Premier League club, and that’s something Radrizzani is well aware of.