The last thing that Leeds United need to be doing now that they’re back down in the Championship is to be haemorrhaging money, however, some recent business with regards to contracts might see them doing just that.
Former owner, Andrea Raddrizanni, has conveniently exited stage left and has ensured that new owners, 49ers Enterprises, are there to pick up the pieces.
It’s not really the way to go about running your business, though it’s almost certain that the old owner would’ve given his counterparts an exclusivity period, where they would be free to conduct due diligence, ask all of the awkward questions etc.
If they hadn’t picked up on any anomalies, more fool them.
One decision that’s soon likely to come back to bite them is when Rodrigo Moreno leaves the club to join Sevilla.
According to COPE, he’s able to leave the Elland Road outfit for just £3m this summer.
No wonder that’s got the back up of Daily Express journalist, Ryan Taylor, who told Give Me Sport:
“This is the problem with being relegated, I think wage bills need to be protected, and, by the end, the relegation clauses are so low, you end up probably recouping less money than you would if you didn’t have the clauses.
“So you know, if that is the case, and Rodrigo is available for that sort of money, then Leeds probably have shot themselves in the foot on that.”
For a player of Rodrigo’s evident ability, £3m for his services is laughable, and Sevilla would be getting themselves a bargain.
From the new owners point of view, they’ll likely just have to write this one off as one of those things. Earning £100,000 per week is far too expensive for a Championship side in any event.
Some you win….