Angus Kinnear to Everton latest: Leeds United 'talks', Goodison Park 'confidence', Graham Smyth theory — YEP 5/3/25
By Kyle Newbould
Leeds United’s CEO has been heavily linked with a move away
from Elland Road in recent weeks.
Leeds United could be looking for a new chief executive
ahead of the summer after reports emerged surrounding Angus Kinnear.
The current Leeds chief, who has been in post since 2017, is
thought to be on the radar of Premier League club Everton who hope a summer
move away from Goodison Park will spark a new era on Merseyside. Elland Road
chiefs are yet to comment on the reports, with a club spokesperson insisting
all efforts are being directed towards promotion.
Leeds are on course to achieve their ultimate goal but
uncertainty remains over what might change ahead of their hoped Premier League
return. And with all that in mind, the YEP has rounded up the latest on
Everton’s CEO search, their links to Kinnear and what it might mean for the
Whites.
Kinnear was first linked with the vacant CEO job at Goodison
Park last month, with The Telegraph naming him on a shortlist drawn up by
external recruitment agency Nolan Partners. And things developed less than a
week later, with the Daily Mail claiming he was ‘set to join’ the Toffees this
summer.
New owners The Friedkin Group (TFG) are keen to appoint a
more permanent chief ahead of next season, with long-serving club employee
Colin Chong filling the role temporarily for almost two years. And they are
thought to have already identified Kinnear as the ‘number one candidate’, with
talks underway.
The report claimed should Kinnear, Everton and Leeds all
come to an agreement, then the likelihood would be a switch is put on hold
until the summer, with the Whites CEO keen to oversee his current club’s
promotion push. But talks have reportedly taken place and the 47-year-old has
what is described as an ‘open-ended contract’ at Elland Road.
‘Growing confidence’ on Merseyside
In a more recent report surrounding Everton’s planned summer
overhaul, The i suggested there was ‘increasing confidence’ on Merseyside
Kinnear would make the switch. The Toffees are set for a potentially
transformative summer in which they will leave Goodison Park for their new
Bramley-Moore Dock stadium while also rejuvenating the squad with money they
haven’t had for years.
Kinnear’s expertise in the former process is thought to be a
key pull, with the Leeds CEO’s previous post as commercial director at Arsenal
coming at a time in which they moved from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium. And
the report states his role will be ‘critical’ under new owners TFG.
The i echoes previous reports that any switch from West
Yorkshire to Merseyside will almost certainly be put on hold until summer, with
his prospective future role very much kicking into gear ahead of the 2025/26
campaign. But he adds an agreement is ‘expected’ to be reached before then.
Graham Smyth’s theory
Graham Smyth doesn’t expect Leeds to be short of candidates
to replace Kinnear this summer, particularly if they are promoted to the
Premier League. No one at the club has come out to deny reports linking the
Whites CEO with a move across to Merseyside, which would see only head of
football operations Adam Underwood remain from the Andrea Radrizzani era.
Speaking on last week’s Inside Elland Road podcast, YEP
chief football writer Smyth said: “What I'd say is that there is so much smoke
that something's on fire somewhere, and nobody at Leeds has come out with a
bucket of cold water to say, ‘Actually, no.’ He hasn't gotten a microphone in
front of the assembled Elland Road staff and said, I'm not leaving!”
And on the prospect of a new hire, he added: “That's a big
job, Leeds United in the Premier League, CEO of Leeds United in the Premier
League is a big and very attractive job they will not be short of candidates
for that role.”