Mighty Leeds Weblog

By 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 committing to the Leeds United takeover regardless of Premier League relegation is nothing short of fascinating. The NFL-based consortium have ensured that relegation from the Premier League won’t deter them from completing their full takeover of the club from Andrea Radrizzani this year. Plumley did admit that valuations would likely fluctuate should the worst happen, but Leeds fans should see this as a massive positive for the future of the club. “It’s fascinating isn’t it,” he exclusively told MOT Leeds News. “We’ve said all along that this deal looks likely to be done, again, this is another real positive for the club that even if the worst was to happen, the 49ers are still saying that the takeover is regardless of Premier L...

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 ...

LOST IN CHARGE Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman The problem with sending Jesse Marsch out of Elland Road is that he takes with him the credibility that, following promotion in 2020, should have ensured Andrea Radrizzani’s ownership was written gratefully into Leeds United history. Choosing a coach to follow Marcelo Bielsa was always going to be the key test of what Radrizzani, Angus Kinnear and Victor Orta brought to Elland Road, and with the grintastic group photo they gathered for with their new man in March, they put everything on the line with him. Now he’s gone, in circumstances that feel familiar. For Jesse Marsch read Thomas Christiansen, and read a doomed repeat of the strategy Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani screamed their way out of in summer 2018. The idea in summer 2017 was that the board wanted a manager who would grow and improve alongside the team, developing young players who would become worth big transfer fees in the process. So they identified Thomas C...

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has insisted he is “always grateful to Marcelo Bielsa” in response to a claim he was ‘fixated on removing every bit’ of the Argentine’s Elland Road legacy. Ben McKenna Bielsa joined Leeds in June 2018, leading the club to the Championship play-offs in his first season as they were beaten by Derby County in the semi-finals. The following season, the Argentine led the Whites back into the Premier League as Championship winners. In their first top-flight season under Bielsa, Leeds finished ninth in the table. It was not the highest finish from any promoted side but the Whites did secure more points and more goals than any other promoted side within the last 20 years. Bielsa was sacked by Leeds the following season as the board made the decision after a run of four-straight defeats which saw the Whites concede 17 goals as they were just two points above the relegation zone. In August, Leeds asked Bielsa for permission to name their Thorp Arch ...

Kris Smith Leeds United’s ambitious January spending has come largely thanks to the investment of minority shareholders, San Francisco 49ers. The Whites needed some serious investment into the first-team this month as they find themselves again in a battle at the bottom end of the table. Both ends of the pitch have been a source of concern for Jesse Marsch and the board from the first half of the season, with Leeds conceding too many goals, while not having a focal point in the striker position. Leeds kicked off their January business with defensive recruitment, as they signed Red Bull Salzburg’s Max Wöber for a reported £10million fee. That was built on by improvements in attack for Marsch and Leeds, as the drawn-out negotiations with Hoffenheim finally brought an agreement to sign Georginio Rutter on a club-record fee that could rise to £35million. The question for Leeds is, where is the money coming from? Andrea Radrizzani has very rarely been willing to splash out on ne...

Toby Wilding The 49ers enterprise will not invest “oil-rich nation” levels of money into Leeds United if they complete a takeover of the Elland Road club. That’s according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, who does however say that a takeover by the American firm, ought to put the Whites in a more positive position going forward. With the 49ers having already held shares in Leeds for some time now, it does seem as though a majority takeover of the club could soon be on the horizon. Indeed, reports from The Times have suggested that they could complete their purchase of the club from current owner Andrea Radrizzani, by the end of this season. Given the success that Newcastle have enjoyed since their takeover by the Saudi backed Public Investment Fund, the prospect of a similar change of hands at Elland Road may well excite Leeds fans. Now though, it appears Hay does not believe a deal for the 49ers to take control of Leeds will generate the same level of investment in the club as ...

YOU WANT TO SEE Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman A point in favour of Andrea Radrizzani, chairman and majority owner of Leeds United as well as loads of other things he wants bigging up (next time, he told Marcus Luer of The Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast, ‘ask me about my new businesses in tech and financing’) is consistency. His message, since buying Leeds United in 2017, has stayed pretty much the same. “I am giving a maximum of five years to be in the Premier League,” Radrizzani said during his first summer after taking over from Massimo Cellino. “If I try and I am not able then it is probably best for someone else to try, maybe with more resources than me.” Speaking to The Athletic this summer, he said he believed he could achieve European football with Leeds, but knew breaking consistently into the Premier League top six would be beyond him. “I’m happy. I dream to bring this club to play in Europe and then I’m happy to leave — so still some work to do here.” Now, s...

Andrea Radrizzani has made an admission about the investment needed to take Leeds United to a higher level in outlining his respect for the club’s fans and the benefits of a change. Lee Sobot Radrizzani has been involved with Leeds for six years having initially bought a 50 per cent share of the club to become co-owner alongside Massimo Cellino in January 2017. Radrizzani then took full ownership of the club in May of the same year and the Italian remains United’s majority shareholder with his Aser Ventures group owning 56 per cent. American consortium 49ers Enterprises own the other 44 pent. Radrizzani, though, has admitted that Leeds will need extra resources to push on and says it would only be right to allow other investors the opportunity to provide it. The 49rs have an option starting in January 2024 to become a majority shareholder. Speaking in an interview with Italian publication Corriere della Sera, Radrizzani said: “Yes, perhaps Leeds can grow further, but in the fut...

By Kwadwo Ntiamoah Leeds United chairman and owner says the club need to improve ahead of the second half of the season. The Whites went into the World cup break in 15th place, just 2 points above the relegation zone. Impressive results against Chelsea and Liverpool earlier this season were quickly disrupted by an 8-game winless run. Radrizzani stated that he has a good connection with Jesse Marsch, and knows that the club will kick on after the break: “I speak very regularly with the coach,” Radrizzani told The Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast. “We have played some good games where we didn’t get points and for sure there is something to improve. “We need to score more goals, we need to produce more goals in the games we play, one example was in the first half at Crystal Palace, we played a very good game, we should have scored two or three but didn’t and in the end we lost 2-1. This is football, it is a young team, we’re the second youngest team in the league and for a lot of pl...

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 ...

Whites chairman Andrea Radrizzani quickly issued a message after seeing two of Leeds United’s players reach the Qatar World Cup last 16. Lee Sobot Leeds duo Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson are through to the competition’s knockout stages with the USA who sealed a 1-0 victory in Tuesday night’s must-win game against Group B opponents Iran. Adams made his third consecutive World Cup start as US captain whilst Aaronson was brought on at half-time to replace the injured Christian Pulisic who hurt himself after netting what proved the game’s winning goal eight minutes before the break. Adams played a part in the build-up to the winner and both he and Aaronson impressed as Gregg Berhalter’s side jumped above Iran into the group’s second qualification place to go through to the last 16 along with group winners England. However, one late goal for Iran and a draw would have knocked the States out and Berhalter’s outfit had to withstand some anxious late moments, particularly two late Iran ...

By Sean Fisher The 49ers Enterprises could follow other American Premier League investors by pulling out of their Leeds United takeover. The Premier League has seen the ownership groups of both Liverpool and Manchester United put their clubs up for sale in recent weeks. The Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are looking to sell Liverpool after their 12-year ownership [Liverpool Echo], while the Glazers followed up by announcing they are open to offers for the Red Devils. [Sky Sports] Their decision to completely drop their Premier League investment could ring huge alarm bells for the 49ers Enterprises, who have been linked with a full takeover of Leeds United. [The Times] The shareholders – who are closely linked to NFL franchise San Francisco 49ers – have slowly increased their shares in the Yorkshire side over the past few years, always with the intention of eventually taking full ownership. Richard Edwards cited Jordan Kobritz from the State University of New York in his Sunday M...

By George Overhill A judge ruling has Andrea Radrizzani facing a court battle costing £50million which could threaten the Leeds United transfer window, according to Adam Pope. The Whites owner is one of a group of defendants who had asked for their legal case, stemming from the 2016 sale of his sports marketing agency MP & Silva, to be split into three parts due to the high cost of even going through the trial, on the basis that winning the first would render the second and third unnecessary. They are defending all the claims against them in full, but the judge has denied their request to truncate the trial, meaning the Italian faces a major upcoming cost, which BBC journalist Pope is concerned could affect his ability to spend on the club, especially with the ownership situation involving the 49ers as yet unresolved. Speaking on the BBC podcast Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet on Monday (21 November, 11min 30sec) he said: “The defendants are asking for the trial to be put into thr...

The 49ers Enterprises have secured the funds to complete a full takeover of Leeds United by January 2024, according to The Times (9 November). The group, who own a 44 percent stake in Leeds and are connected to the NFL franchise team San Francisco 49ers have the option to buy out owner Andrea Radrizzani in January 2024. Now according to sources from US banking, there have been moves in recent weeks to secure investment for a full takeover and that is now in place. It is possible that they could make a move before January 2024 to complete a full takeover, but it’s said that it is more likely to take place at the end of the current season, with the final sale price dependant on whether they remain in the Premier League or not. It’s not believed that this is a hostile takeover, with Radrizzani and the 49ers having a strong working relationship. Leeds United fans have been asking for months where the 49ers disappeared to in recent months, but it seems they’ve been busy setting th...

The 49ers are set to put their takeover plans in motion... By Connor Oniki 49ers Enterprises, the investing arm connected to the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League and minority owners of Leeds United, have obtained the investment necessary for a full takeover of the club, per The Times. Andrea Radrizzani sold 10 per cent of Leeds to 49ers Enterprises in 2018 and that fraction has continued to rise to 44 per cent today. The 49ers have the option to complete a full takeover of the club in January 2024, but there have been reports for a while discussing a likely move prior to that and it seems that the move is just about ready for completion. According to the Times’ report, the most likely scenario is that 49ers Enterprises will act at the end of this season, waiting to see how the 22/23 campaign ends and how that might change the purchase price. The report referenced US banking sources which described the efforts in recent weeks that 49ers Enterprises have undert...

Andrea Radrizzani has reacted to Leeds United’s massive win at Liverpool. By Paul Clarke Andrea Radrizzani didn't wait long to share his thoughts after a critical win for Jesse Marsch and Leeds United as they snatched a late success at Liverpool on Saturday evening. The Whites led inside four minutes after Rodrigo found the back of the net before Mohamed Salah equalised just ten minutes later. But Leeds held their own at Anfield and shocked the hosts when Crysencio Summerville scored a dramatic late winner to see the Whites move out of the relegation zone. Leeds' owner Radrizzani took to Twitter virtually immediately and hit back at the criticism of recent performances, which included the Whites' 3-2 loss at home to Fulham last time out. Radrizzani tweeted: "We were not rubbish last week and we are not champions tonight. It s a long journey , working and improving TOGETHER 💛💙 game by game , as always have been in these 6 years since I had the honour to join ...

By Mark Smith Andrea Radrizzani knows things must change at Leeds United as Jesse Marsch continues to fight for his job, according to the Daily Mail. The newspaper has reported on its website that the majority owner at Elland Road is ready to let the American take control at Liverpool, with the Bournemouth game that follows described as pivotal. The Leeds board is said to be concerned throughout, with the home fans turning massively after the defeat against Fulham made it no wins in eight Premier League games. Things are turning sour at Elland Road very quickly. Radrizzani is facing pressure from the fans alongside Angus Kinnear and Victor Orta to leave, so someone is going to have to be that sacrificial lamb sooner than later. That usually is the manager who ends up packing their bags, but sources have shared that talks are ongoing between all parties to bring about change in West Yorkshire. With only three games until the World Cup break, it looks as though it is a make...

Leeds United are winless in eight consecutive Premier League matches but head coach Jesse Marsch is expected to remain in charge for this weekend’s fixture against Liverpool By Joe Donnohue Two months on from victories against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea, when Leeds threatened to become a runaway train, steam billowing as Kalidou Koulibaly saw red at Elland Road, the Whites are still looking for a third league win of the campaign. It is now more than 60 days since Leeds tasted victory, after United fell to a 3-2 defeat at home to Fulham last weekend, although 29 of those were spent waiting for a fixture due to the Queen's passing. Crysencio Summerville’s stoppage time strike proved nothing more than scant consolation at Elland Road on Sunday as Leeds slipped into the relegation zone. United’s winless run stretched to eight games but head coach Jesse Marsch struck a defiant tone post-match, insisting assurances had been provided by the board of directors during the s...

By George Overhill Phil Hay has questioned the San Francisco 49ers’ reluctance to take control of Leeds United at their high point with the club now in decline on and off the pitch. The NFL franchise have an option until 2024 to become majority owners of the club, but since the end of the 2020/21 season the club have gone through one relegation battle and appear headed for another one, while time continues to pass with them waiting on the sidelines. The Athletic’s Hay doesn’t understand their delay in taking over as the player recruitment and the stadium development flounders with Andrea Radrizzani in charge. Speaking on The Phil Hay Show on Monday (24 October, 16min) he said: “What is happening with the West Stand? Is this squad going to keep them in the Premier League? Are they getting the recruitment right? You’d have to say at the moment ‘no’ because they’re struggling. “It feels as if there’s a lot of things that need a reset. They had it under [Marcelo] Bielsa, they wer...

If Leeds United are not in full-blown crisis territory yet then they appear headed directly towards it after that 3-2 defeat at home to Fulham. By Graham Smyth A game that took on must-win status in the wake of a 2-0 loss at Leicester City, who were bottom of the table prior to kick-off on Thursday and now sit 16th, two places and two points clear of new relegation zone dwellers Leeds. Here’s the YEP take on how Sunday played out. Good day Joe Gelhardt It hasn’t been an easy season so far for the youngster, who has struggled to impose himself with admittedly scant minutes in the first team. He is often being asked to come in desperately late in games in which Leeds are desperate for a goal and at 20 years of age it’s always a massive ask. At least, against Fulham, he showed again that he has a game-changing ability, which was evidenced at times last season, by setting up Crysencio Summerville’s consolation. Crysencio Summerville Got his first Premier League goal and car...