To balance the books, every relegated team must reshuffle its rosters. But, with Leeds suffering massive losses, what should the club do to right the ship?
Leeds‘ current dilemma is that they don’t know where they will be next season. If promoted, the losses appear less severe, since the Premier League’s riches will help underwrite what they owe in player purchases.
According to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, Leeds is only earning £2 million in player sales out of the £190 million they still owe in player fees.
Leeds might need to sell
Key players such as Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter are expected to be difficult to maintain in the summer, and they might be big money sellers to assist the club balance the budget.
Even with a few of big sales, the club’s financial condition may mean that players like Joe Rodon and Jaidon Anthony are out of reach for Leeds, as both loan agreements would be extremely tough to convert into permanent deals without significant squad movement.
One solution could be to sell Archie Gray, a fan favourite. The 18-year-old has had an outstanding season thus far and, given his age, might command a large cost in the summer if teams come calling.
The advantage of his age is that he is not a finished product, and if one of the big clubs connected to him, such as Borussia Dortmund, comes in for him, a loan transfer back to Leeds may improve his development. This would allow Leeds to earn funds to cover the amounts owed without compromising squad depth.
Loaned out players
Leeds took a key strategic choice in the summer by loaning away the majority of their playing roster due to relegation clauses. The advantage of this was that Leeds would not have to fund their wages if a club came in for them, and their finances would not have to show losses for players as they would if they had gone the typical relegation path of selling their big-hitters for a pittance.
Players such as Jack Harrison, Marc Roca, and Max Wober are expected to return to the club in the summer. This provides Leeds a plethora of players to either reintegrate into the squad or sell to cover the money owed to other clubs.
Having a few high-profile players to sell in the summer could help Leeds maintain some of their current talent.
The unusual nature of the Championship this season, with Leicester and Ipswich vying for the crown, means that a Leeds team that would have been comfortably top of the table at this time is at risk of losing out on promotion entirely.
However, if Leeds can keep some of their players by selling undesired loaned out players, many would back Championship specialist Daniel Farke to take Leeds out of the league in his second attempt, if the club does not win promotion this season.
Best-case scenario.
Of course, Leeds could yet achieve promotion this season, since the team now has 87 points. If they can return to the Premier League, their financial situation will improve significantly.
With the Premier League’s hefty payouts to teams, Leeds’ financial power would be restored, and it would be easier to buy players in the summer.
Daniel Farke will be aiming to encourage his squad to dig in and go across the line for another opportunity at the top flight, and in doing so, he may improve Leeds United’s long-term perspective.
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