The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 12th July) Leeds in advanced talks with Brentford's Director of Football
Good Morning. It's Wednesday 12th July, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Leeds in advanced talks with Brentford's DOF
'Football Insider' are reporting that Leeds are in advanced talks with Brentford's Technical Director Lee Dykes, about becoming Leeds new Sporting Director. Nick Hammond currently resides in the role follwing Victor Orta's sudden departure in early March, and has a short term contract to see the Whites through the Summer transfer window.
Dykes 38, is highly regarded, and has worked in all four divisions of the football league. He has unearthed many gems for the Bee's in recent years, and would certainly be an asset at Elland Road. Up until very recently, former Norwich Director of Football Stuart Webber was in tipped for the role.
Loan clauses could benefit Leeds
Athletic journalist Phil Hay has reacted to Leeds fans criticism of the relegation clauses inserted into many of the players contracts, by normalising it. Whilst relegation was always likely to wipe millions from the valuations of the players, the stir, the loan clauses have created surely indicate that such stipulations are not common place?
The club have been severely criticised since it was revealed that many Leeds stars had clauses in their terms allowing them to leave on loan, if relegated, but Hay is even suggesting that such stipulations could be helpful for a club in Leeds' position, in their bid to reduce their wage bill.
So onto relegation release clauses. These are fairly standard at a high level of professional football and numerous players at Leeds have them in their contracts. The clauses differ from player to player but, in essence, they provide some assurance about what can or might happen if a team goes down from a certain division, such as the Premier League.
Why do they exist? There are a few reasons. Firstly, some footballers want a guarantee they will not have to play in a lower league. If they are at a club who are relegated from the Premier League to the Championship, they have a realistic chance of remaining at a higher level. It protects their earning power, their status, their international prospects and so on.
In other cases, clauses might allow for a loan move elsewhere, as appears to be the case with Koch to Eintracht. Sometimes these agreements can be helpful for a club — by making it easier to rid themselves of expensive wages. For a team demoted from the Premier League, certain salaries are simply too high to carry, even though many are automatically reduced by relegation. The downside with someone like Koch is that it reduces the prospect of recouping a transfer fee.
No supporter is going to particularly like this and it puts a lot of power in the hands of a squad, but in the market as it is, when a club court a player they want to sign, they have to make certain concessions, whether that’s via wages being offered, bonuses included — or relegation clauses.
If you want a player badly and he insists on some form of exit clause, you’re often compelled to agree to one. Of course, they can cost a club money, but the fact is, it’s very hard to maximise an asset’s value once you’ve dropped into the Championship. You’re usually selling from a position of weakness.
Takeover set to drag on
With the proposed Leeds takeover looking set to drag on to a sixth week, (and beyond), and no new arrivals yet, it's not surprising that the Elland Road faithful are becoming a little restless. Llorente, Aaronson and Koch have already fled the once fortified stronghold known as Elland Road for pastures new, and Roca is not far behind.
Deserters could very well run into double figures between now and the first of September, and time to paper over the cracks is fast running out. Elland Road journalist Phil Hay has pointed the finger of blame at both Radrizzani and 49ers Enterprises.
Despite their perilous position for much of last season (and having only escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth the season before), Leeds Utd hierarchy have shown utter contempt to their fans by not having either a relegation contingency plan, nor revised takeover deal in place until this time last month.
Clubs like Burnley bounce back up as they're well structured, organised and were modest enough to have a contingency plan in case of relegation, something Leeds clearly didn't consider until it was too late.
What Farke’s appointment demonstrates is that Leeds are able to make major calls even while the buy-out is pending. Likewise, the outgoing transfers of Diego Llorente, Brenden Aaronson and Robin Koch, with others to come. By the same token, they are working to recruit players, too (and they brought in Nick Hammond to help make that happen).
The sensible scenario would be for the takeover to be finalised before incoming transfers are completed, particularly those which rely on immediate injections of cash from the new ownership, but the reality is that the start of the season is just around the corner now — hence why Leeds bit the bullet with Farke. Signings are evidently needed.
In no way could you paint the state of play as ideal, but the thing that should be remembered is that Radrizzani and 49ers Enterprises did not actually have a post-relegation takeover deal in place until June 9. That’s a month ago. So while everyone wants the EFL to ratify the purchase at the first opportunity, it’s not as if the buy-out has been on its desk for an eternity.