Leeds United chairman teases imminent new manager arrival with 'white smoke' statement - YEP 7/2/23

-


Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani believes the club are on the verge of appointing a new head coach

Joe Donnohue

The Italian tweeted on Tuesday evening that he hoped the club would be able to announce a new head coach’s arrival by ‘tonight or tomorrow morning’.

"We are on it,” Radrizzani replied to a supporter querying the appointment. “Hopefully white smoke by tonight or tmw morning,” he added.

In Catholicism, white smoke billowing from the Vatican is synonymous with the naming of a new Pope. The Milan native’s reference suggests Leeds are close to announcing Jesse Marsch’s successor. Forty-nine-year-old Marsch was sacked by the club on Monday afternoon after taking the day’s training and bidding farewell to players and staff at the club’s Thorp Arch training facility.

Under-21s head coach Michael Skubala, along with backroom staff members Chris Armas and Francisco ‘Paco’ Gallardo will take charge of the team against Manchester United tomorrow evening. Radrizzani is due to fly into Manchester on Wednesday where he will meet director of football Victor Orta and chief executive Angus Kinnear at the team hotel.

Despite his bullish tweet, Radrizzani has form for prematurely announcing new additions on Twitter. The entrepreneur took to social media on transfer deadline day last summer, urging fans to welcome prospective new signing Bamba Dieng, whilst vowing Leeds would work on adding then-PSV Eindhoven attacker Cody Gakpo in the winter window. However the Senegalese forward reneged on his agreement to join Leeds, heading instead to OGC Nice’s training ground for a medical, which he subsequently failed, while Gakpo joined Premier League rivals Liverpool in January.

Leeds’ majority shareholder will hope a similar scenario does not play out in the club’s search for a new head coach.

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

-
Will Butcher West Ham United are closing in on a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United, and Ben Jacobs has shared how much Leeds will receive for the Dutchman. The 22-year-old has been strongly linked with the Elland Road exit door all summer and was targeted as the one big sale Leeds needed to make before the Profit & Sustainability Rules deadline this month. But instead, Leeds sold Archie Gray for £40m to Tottenham. Leeds have since sold five more players in the form of Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, Kris Klaesson and Charlie Cresswell – raking in around £60m in total. But more exits were always likely and Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday afternoon that West Ham had agreed personal terms with Summerville, and talks for a fee were ongoing with the Yorkshire side. Now, the story has moved on with multiple sources claiming a deal is done between Leeds and Angus Kinnear’s old club. The Dutchman is expected to sign a five-year at the London Stadium, until Jun...
Read more

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

-
By Joe Donnohue Leeds United have confirmed supporters' commemorative stones at Elland Road's Centenary Square will be replaced free of charge in a bid to improve their longevity. Beginning next month, Leeds supporters' personalised stones will be replaced with exact replicas, courtesy of a new company, to ensure of a 'much better quality' installation. The work is expected to take around two months to complete. An official club statement confirmed 'three larger stones dedicated to former managers Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and Marcelo Bielsa' will also be installed, 'similar to those located in Bremner Square', while additional space for supporters to purchase new stones has also been factored into the project. “The club have taken on board recent feedback from supporters on the stones at Centenary Square, and we are really happy that we can now announce that all of the stones will be replaced," chief executive Angus Kinnear confirmed,...
Read more

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24

-
By Graham Smyth Leeds United are not actively looking to cash in on Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto and believe any further outgoing transfer business will be done on their terms. The Whites, who sold Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday for £40m, expect that there will be continued interest in wing pair Summerville and Gnonto as the summer transfer window progresses. Summerville has been a target for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion but their interest has not yet materialised into a bid. The Albion did, however, send a £30m proposal for Georginio Rutter, which Elland Road chiefs rejected. Rutter is not expected to try and force an exit this summer and appears settled at Leeds after a far more positive second season in English football. The sale of Gray has helped put Leeds into a position where they do not need to sell star players and can dictate any moves that do happen. Club sources say they are not actively looking to sell the likes of Summerville o...
Read more