Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear has told The Square Ball podcast that Andrea Radrizzani should have sold the club 12 months earlier – in order to keep the Italian’s legacy at Elland Road intact.
Radrizzani eventually sold Leeds after initially buying a 50% stake in 2017 – and then winning outright control six months later. He sold after six years and relegation – taking over Serie B side Sampdoria.
The Italian impressed in his role to begin with. Putting money into the club, hiring Marcelo Bielsa, buying the rights to Elland Road and, promotion. He was spending money – plenty, but not huge amounts.
Eventually, Leeds dwindled after too much power was given to Victor Orta. Too many bad decisions made in terms of managers, and players incoming. He sold to the 49ers for a Championship price.
When, a year earlier – he could have sold the club for a fee north of £400m. A Premier League kind of figure. Kinnear says Radrizzani should have sold after Jesse Marsch overlooked our 2021-22 survival.
“Andrea sold reluctantly in the end. He loved his association with Leeds for all sorts of reasons. Is there a criticism that he could have sold earlier? Potentially,” Kinnear said, on The Square Ball podcast.
“It is when to know you have taken the club as far as you can. In hindsight, if he had sold after we stayed up on the final day at Brentford – his legacy would have been kept intact, and a better financial decision.”
Kinnear: Radrizzani should have sold Leeds 12 months earlier
With hindsight, yes. Radrizzani should have sold the club to The 49ers last summer. But ultimately, he was never going to do that. There was optimism at Leeds last summer – with new signings arriving.
There was a genuine belief that Marsch had saved Leeds and he could take us to the next level. That of course, did not happen. Selling Leeds to the 49ers might have allowed us to spend bigger – and survive.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
