Leeds United: Andrea Radrizzani remains in advanced negotiations to sell club to American owners of San Francisco 49ers

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani remains locked in advanced negotiations over a revised deal to sell the club to 49ers Enterprises after their relegation to the Championship.

The American group, who own NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers, still want to purchase the remaining 56 per cent stake from Italian Radrizzani despite the drop – but not at the previously agreed price.

Radrizzani is understood to have flown to the US late last week to broker the terms on a new deal, with the previous price agreed only if they had stayed up.

He was not present at Leeds’ last game of the season on Sunday – a 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham at Elland Road that confirmed the relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

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Two days later, the long-discussed takeover is hanging in the balance, with Radrizzani still deciding whether or not to pull the trigger on the sale.

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Radrizzani remains in advanced negotiations to sell Leeds

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Sources have indicated to Sky Sports News that it is still expected to be completed and, once it has, there is a plan in place for Radrizzani to oversee a transition period into the new ownership alongside chief executive Angus Kinnear.

Kinnear is also expected to stay on in his role at least until the end of the 2023-24 season, and top of the agenda for the new regime will be the appointments of a new head coach and sporting director.

The 49ers and Kinnear are understood to have been working on sporting director candidates already and high on their list are the likes of Middlesbrough’s Kieran Scott and Genk’s Dimitri de Conde.

The club want to act quickly to secure their new hierarchy in order to advance with plans for next season, including pre-season training and squad turnover in the transfer market – and they will need to do so with fellow high-profile, relegated clubs Leicester and Southampton already embarking on their plans for next term.

Will relegation affect the takeover?

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire:

“There will be an impact. That will have been factored into the price the 49ers were willing to pay.

“There are rumours Andrea Radrizzani, the Leeds owner, is looking to buy Sampdoria. I think we will see an announcement in terms of Leeds accelerate.

“Whatever’s going to happen to Leeds over the summer, it’s absolutely essential we have owners in place who can set a budget, stick to that budget and make key decisions in terms of management and player recruitment.”