Investment

[NottinghamWhite]

Talk all over Twitter that major investment coming into the club, think there’s an announcement today. Will try & get more info. Radrizzani saying new QSI investment can get Leeds up to the level of Manchester City.


https://twitter.com/jakeeydeekay/status ... 00129?s=21

[NottinghamWhite]

https://twitter.com/grahamsmyth/status/ ... 81921?s=21

[Nic]

There's a piece in YEP https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... sal-813533

Whites owner Andrea Radrizzani has revealed he is mulling over a trio of investment proposals, one of which is from Nasser al-Khelaifi's QSI and would, in his estimation, help the club to rival Premier League champions Manchester City. The pair are friends, having worked together in the past on deals for football TV rights and speculation of a QSI takeover surfaced this summer - speculation Leeds were quick to play down.

Leeds' owner has made no secret of the fact that he is open to outside investment and has already sold a 10 per cent stake to 49ers Enterprises, the finance entity behind NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers. Radrizzani is yet to reveal the identity of the other two offers under consideration but told The Times that one is a US-based lifelong Leeds fan and the other owns an Italian football club.

“I have been approached by more than 20 parties and I have selected these three,” Radrizzani says.

“The option of Qatar Sports Investment and Nasser — first of all they are friends, we have had a good relationship for a long time. Secondly, they have the possibility to bring this club to compete with Manchester City, so for the fans that could be a fantastic opportunity.

“The second is based in America, he’s a big fan of Leeds United since he was a child, and I like that.

“Another one is the owner of an Italian club. With another club you can create synergy to be more competitive and to target the Premier League — we could maybe get a loan to increase the quality of the team.”

The chairman and founder of Eleven Sports, who earlier this year hinted at a link up with Cagliari after the two sides met in a pre-season friendly, says the size of his stake is of secondary importance to returning the club to prominence in England.

“The most important thing for me is to make this club big again. When I will open the door to others I don’t know, hopefully when we are in the Premier League. The financial support would be more important in the Premier League.

“When it will be done, it doesn’t matter which share [I have], it matters that I can continue my project and also have the support to build this club back again.

"L’appetito vien mangiando, as we say in Italy — appetite comes while you are eating. I don’t need to sell but it is important to listen because I always remember I am a custodian of the club. If it was my own business I would treat it a bit differently.”

Radrizzani also gave insight into the cost involved in employing head coach Marcelo Bielsa and his backroom team and the financial implications of the club's attempts to escape the Championship.

“It is very expensive, I invested over £90 million — with this level of money you could own a Europa League club in most of the European leagues, including Italy.

“The club makes losses, in this league it is impossible not to. We are still paying the consequences of my first year because I was inexperienced and we made some expensive mistakes with players.

“But we haven’t stopped investing. Bielsa and his staff cost £6 million [a year], we bought many other players and I think we have a squad to be promoted. It’s financially not sustainable to keep this level of salary which is now over £30 million, probably £33 million with Marcelo and closer to £40 million with the coaches.”

[NottinghamWhite]

The problem is that there’s been so many false dawns, dare we dare to dream ?

[Nic]

Well it's good to understand the motivations - he came here expecting he could invest an amount to take us back but has come to realise it's not enough. The announcement will get some fans creaming of big money signings, but I wouldn't be quick to jump. For one thing he talks about the PL, so maybe its not investment this year but once we go up because the value of the club will jump and a share sold for much more.

Also I'm not sure if QSI are just the stalking horse, to get the value of bids up from other interested parties, so who ever buys in puts in more than they may have initially offered. It is good time is being taken, rather than like Celino did, find out how much it takes and sell a share to a company without seeing what further investment they would do.

It isn't the first we've heard of potential investment, and I doubt it will be the last. Also just because QSI are involved and we've seen their investment in PSG, and the parallels drawn with Man City, I expect it will turn out completely differently.

[isrodger]

Only a matter of time imho ... hopefully ASAP my biggest concern is the sale/ use of land around the stadium as if QSI do buy us I would expect us to do a Spurs and build a new ground on Fullerton park.

Also note the Qatari real estate companies involved in the Holbeck Quarter LLP 417302.... doubt the sovereign wealth fund is interested in a load of terrace houses occupied by crack heads & prostitutes.

[NottinghamWhite]

Also note the Qatari real estate companies involved in the Holbeck Quarter LLP 417302.... doubt the sovereign wealth fund is interested in a load of terrace houses occupied by crack heads & prostitutes.

I’d forgotten about that, makes sense a bit now.

[Wigwam]

The problem is that there’s been so many false dawns, dare we dare to dream ?

More false dawns than a Vicar of Dibley convention.

[NottinghamWhite]

The problem is that there’s been so many false dawns, dare we dare to dream ?

More false dawns than a Vicar of Dibley convention.

[ChilwellWhite]

I suppose one of these days one of these rumours might be more than that. So from what I know the three parties are the Qataris, someone who already owns a club in Italy and a rich American who also happens to be a Leeds fan, though no one knows who he is.