49ers Enterprises' first Leeds United transfer priority clear following Allardyce and Gracia gripes - Leeds Live 11/6/23
49ers Enterprises have struck a deal with Andrea Radrizzani to purchase Leeds United and they will already be thinking about recruitment
By William Jackson
49ers Enterprises probably didn’t expect to be collecting
the keys to a Championship club this summer when they voiced their initial
takeover intentions. The American investment group are said to have agreed a
deal to buy Leeds United from Andrea Radrizzani as a Premier League outfit only
for things to be rapidly readjusted upon the club’s relegation.
Nevertheless, the news filtered through on Friday evening
that a deal had been struck with an Athletic report claiming the deal valued
Leeds at around £170m, which is around £300m less than what it would have been
in the top flight. That means Leeds, as a club, can now focus their energy on
putting the necessary measures in place this summer in order to get ready for
the start of the new season.
A head coach is the priority, but recruitment isn’t far
behind and major changes are expected when it comes to playing personnel after
dropping out the top tier. Promotion is the aim, of course, but some key men
won’t be sticking around for the ride.
Rodrigo, Jack Harrison, Tyler Adams, Junior Firpo, Marc
Roca, Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville are amongst those who have
already been linked away and with players having relegation release clauses
stitched into their contracts, the club won’t be able to stand in their way
should approaches be made. As such, until a firm number of departures emerges,
there is uncertainty regarding how many new signings Leeds will need to secure
over the summer.
What is certain, though, is that Leeds need to bolster the
size of their first-team squad going into a 46-game season, with a minimum of
two cup games and the potential of a play-off campaign to navigate, too. The
Championship can be a slog at the best of times and 49ers Enterprises must make
sure the club are not approaching it underequipped and underprepared.
Strength in depth has been an issue at Elland Road for some
time, in truth. Marcelo Bielsa preferred to work with a smaller squad and Leeds
built their senior group accordingly.
When injuries struck they struggled to prevent their
standard from falling, though, and in their second Premier League season that
was seen as one of their major downfalls. Efforts were made to bolster numbers
last summer and seven first-teamers were recruited, but departures still made
for an imbalanced squad.
Both Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce made reference to such
shortcomings towards the end of the campaign, with the latter having some
damning words to say after the club’s loss to West Ham United on the penultimate
day of the season. It would have been something to address this summer
regardless of division, then, but especially now the club find themselves
dropping into the second tier.
The gruelling nature of the league, with Saturday games
being regularly followed by midweek outings, brings a need for regular rotation
and unfortunately injuries are an inevitability, too. Of course, the club’s
promising youngsters will be expected to step in and fill any gaps.
Charlie Cresswell, for example, looks set to play an
important role next season, while Cody Drameh, Leo Hjelde, Mateo Joseph, Darko
Gyabi and Sonny Perkins are all candidates to breakthrough into the senior
picture. But, Leeds will need more established, experienced performers to call
upon as well, quite possibly with knowledge of the Championship and the
physical and mental challenges it brings.
The biggest decision 49ers Enterprises will make in the
first few months of ownership will be the appointment of the head coach.
However, they must give him enough tools to succeed in the role and that means
bolstering the strength in depth he has to call upon.