Kieran Maguire makes ‘£500m’ Leeds transfer claim as 49ers blow Radrizzani out of water
Leeds United would have more money to spend if the 49ers took full ownership of the club, according to Kieran Maguire.
However, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the football finance expert suggested the 49ers would adopt a “Moneyball-style strategy” over regular big spends on transfers.
The Athletic‘s David Ornstein revealed (6 December) that the 49ers have an option to take 100 per cent control of Leeds from Andrea Radrizzani by January 2024.
A deal for between £400-475million is said to have been agreed between the two parties in January.
The 49ers now have a 44 per cent minority shareholding of Leeds after initially buying 10 per cent of the club in 2018.
When asked by Football Insider assistant editor Dylan Childs if a 49ers takeover would be good news for Leeds, Maguire said:
“If the next stage is competing on a regular basis for the Champions League places, that is a very expensive exercise.
“It would be quite difficult for the 49ers so achieve that because it would take a realistic spend of £500million on players. Do they see their strategy working like that? I don’t think so.
“I think they will go down the Moneyball-style strategy. Everybody is doing that as well though.
“I think there will be a bit more money to spend if the 49ers took full ownership. Radrizzani is a very wealthy man but against the people with whom he is competing, he is modest.”
In other news, Paddy Kenny has claimed ‘we know Leeds have money’ as unexpected January transfer plan is revealed.