If Leeds United thought they were close to being able to celebrate a promotion to the Premier League, their potential good news has already been soured it would seem.
The all whites will fight until the bitter end for a top two spot in the Championship, guaranteeing them automatic promotion rather than the lottery of the play-offs.
One of Leeds, Leicester City or Ipswich Town are going to be disappointed, because with the three so close together at present, it might even come down to goal difference.
Leeds will be forced to sell star players
Were the Elland Road outfit able to bounce straight back to the English top-flight, the one thing that they’d need immediately is stability, and the latest news suggests that stability is just about the last thing they’re going to be able to achieve.
According to Football Insider sources, the club will be forced to sell star players such as Archie Gray after posting their accounts for 2022/23, which showed an incredible £34m loss.
That means they’re sailing far too close to the wind in terms of Financial Fair Play, and their only option is to part ways with first-team staff that can bridge the gap via sales.
What that does of course is severely weaken Daniel Farke’s squad which, in turn, will surely turn any Premier League campaign into another nightmare.
The German has fostered an incredible team spirit since taking over at the club, and to have the rug pulled from under him like this is a real kick in the teeth.
It’s almost as if all of his good work has gone to waste, however, Farke appears to be a manager that only deals in the positives, so he will want to accentuate those and just keep his team’s focus on what they can do on the pitch.
Here we go….another O’Leary fire sale