The Mail says the 49ers are closing in on a takeover of Leeds United after talks between the 49ers Enterprises and Andrea Radrizzani were successful on Monday – with there hope a takeover is done before the end of the week.
The 49ers continue to hold a 44% stake in the club, while Radrizzani remains majority shareholder – boasting a 56% control. But the Italian has come under fire in the last few weeks – not just because the club have been relegated.
Radrizzani has focused his attention on buying Sampdoria, the same weekend in which Leeds went down. Then, reports emerged that he was using Elland Road as a £26m security in his purchase of the relegated Serie A club.
Now, it is reported that Radrizzani’s association with Leeds could be in the final few days. The report from The Mail states that talks went well on Monday and an agreement was ‘close’. The takeover is expected to be worth £170m.
49ers closing in on takeover of Leeds and successful Monday talks
Brilliant news. Radrizzani has gone from hero to zero at Elland Road. Having guided Leeds to promotion and hired a legend in Marcelo Bielsa – he has since sacked Bielsa, using Elland Road as a pawn piece in his Sampdoria move.
The board are to blame for relegation. Radrizzani needs to go simply because the view of the Italian as the club’s owner has become toxic. A new dawn is required and the 49ers are that. The takeover is the start of a busy summer.
Leeds need a new manager, a new sporting director and then there is the matter of a large player overhaul. Many are likely to go and a new manager and sporting director must work quickly to work out who to sign in the window.
