Leeds United fans explode as £18m update emerges – ‘it’s madness’
Leeds United fans have reacted in unison to the eye-watering amount of money spent on agents’ fees in the past 12 months.
Elland Road could be just weeks away from becoming a Premier League stadium again, with Leeds sitting five points clear of third-placed Sheffield United at the top of the Championship with four games to play.
Daniel Farke’s side have steered their form around in the last week to record back-to-back wins after three straight draws, coinciding with a horror run which has seen Sheffield United lose three in a row.
Illan Meslier being dropped for Karl Darlow between the sticks has been a popular move on Farke’s part, but the German will be under no illusions that if promoted, his side will need some serious strengthening.
Leeds top of the pile as 2024–25 agent fees released
Promotion is absolutely vital from a financial perspective at Elland Road, with Premier League parachute payments set to decrease significantly – and then end altogether – if they remain in the Championship.
Although the first season back in the second tier saw Leeds reduce their wage bill by £62million, fans are under no illusions that Farke’s side must achieve promotion to avoid further financial uncertainty.
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GD | Points |
| 1 | Leeds United | 42 | 25 | 13 | 4 | +53 | 88 |
| 2 | Burnley | 42 | 24 | 16 | 2 | +44 | 88 |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 42 | 26 | 7 | 9 | +24 | 83 |
However, journalist Henry Winter reported on X (14 April) that of the £63million shelled out by Championship clubs on agent fees between February 2024 and February 2025, Leeds spent far more than anyone else.
The £18.8million outlay on agents’ fees at Elland Road equates to 29.8 per cent of the entire second-tier total, and with Burnley the next highest at just £5.3million, it’s clear Leeds have the biggest financial burden.
Leeds fans react to agent fees ‘madness’ at Elland Road
With former Man United and Blackburn scout Mick Brown telling Football Insider that Leeds plan on making at least six new first-team signings this summer, those agents’ fees are only set to increase.
Fans will hope that 49ers Enterprises’ takeover of Rangers doesn’t distract from the dealings needed at Elland Road in order to be competitive, particularly with the “madness” concerning agents’ payments.
Some fans called the agents “a plague on the sport”, and others noted that the big-money exits of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter will have been a “nice little earner” for their agents.
Wish I was an agent
— Kershaw (@Kershaw444) April 14, 2025
Paying agents to sell players that we supposedly wanted to keep. Joke
— Paul Mundy (@mundy_paul) April 14, 2025
Madness. A plague on the sport
— Robert Field (@RField94489) April 14, 2025
Agents are just parasites, why clubs get involved with them I don’t know.
— Jonathanlufc (@Jonathanlufc64) April 14, 2025
I’m sure the money spent on agents could be better spent like reducing ticket prices for loyal supporters.
Bleeding us poor old season ticket holders dry
— Farkeball (@50c9e504878c406) April 14, 2025
Sad indictment of the game really . This all contributes to the prices of tickets, merchandise etc .
— stuart (@StuartWeinstoc1) April 15, 2025
These agents are working for the players, it’s them who should be paying !!!!!
Nice agent earner when we actually pay to sell the likes of Rutter, Gray and Summerville.
— Dirty Leeds (@methleywhites) April 14, 2025
I’d sooner have Darren Williams lino every week
People will tell you that Angus Kinnear has done a good job 🤦♂️
— SHS (@flyhsuk) April 14, 2025