In a tale that is becoming increasingly hard to keep track of every twist and turn and what is true, and what is not, it is unlikely anything concrete on the link between Leeds and Qatari Sports Investments surfaces until the end of the season. And importantly, how the end of the season looks in terms of sucess on the pitch.
The story took a new turn today, however. Professor Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sports Enterprise at Salford University providing the information in this twitter thread:
Was in the Gulf region two weeks ago & talk was not of Qatar buying Leeds Utd but of country’s investors seeking to buy Napoli. Now out in open. Suspect Qatari investment in Leeds more likely to involve local industry & infrastructure than club (although latter may be a focus). https://t.co/70gJ3IUuz4
— Professor Simon Chadwick (@Prof_Chadwick) November 13, 2019
We know well that there is certainly a lot of industrial development going on in Leeds at present, particularly on the City’s southbank and the area creeping towards Elland Road.
….specifically, could Leeds Utd & Napoli form the basis of a franchised football network in same way as Abu Dhabi’s City Football Group & Red Bull clubs?
— Professor Simon Chadwick (@Prof_Chadwick) November 13, 2019
Chadwick did not completely flatten the link between Leeds and QSI however, and has instead suggested that it may lead into a partnership of sorts between multiple clubs across Europe.
The link between the Al Thani family and Leeds’ current owner, Andrea Radrizzani, remains mysterious however. Is it a purely business relationship relating to the media industry or is this a source of potential investment into Leeds United?
Radrizzani has suggested that he cannot afford to run Leeds in the Championship for another season after this one, which infers that selling up is the only option.
Many fans also hold concerns over the moral issue at stake here, would selling Leeds to a wealthy beyond belief owner be the first step into a complete corporatisation of the club? A corporatisation many see as bringing ill to modern football.