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‘Not true’ – Respected journalist rubbishes recent claims surrounding Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani

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Reports of Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani wanting to purchase Spanish club Valencia are wide of the mark, according to Guillem Balague.

Leeds gave experience numerous terrible ownerships since the turn of the millennium.

It started with overspending under Peter Ridsdale, continued with us rotting under Ken Bates, and was then followed by shambolic tenures under GFH and Massimo Cellino.

The nightmare looked to end when ambitious Italian businessman Andrea Radrizzani took over the club and was clearly looking to take care of Leeds United’s long-term prospects.

Careful investment along with a well-planned-out strategy to see the Whites return to the Premier League came to fruition after the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa, where they currently find themselves situated.

Promotion back to the Premier League means an awful lot of great things to the club and city of Leeds.

Besides the playing aspects of being back in the big time against the best clubs in the land, there are obviously the off-field financial incentives of sitting at the Premier League table.

TV rights, prize money and lucrative sponsorship avenues mean Leeds are once again a financial power that they haven’t been for 16 years, and justifiably so, the rumour mill has a lot to say about Radrizzani’s future ventures.

A recent print edition of Spanish newspaper Marca reported that Radrizzani was eyeing up a takeover of cash-strapped Valencia after already prizing top striker Rodrigo away from the Mestalla.

However, Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has rubbished these claims on Twitter with Valencia chief Peter Lim insisting he does not want to sell up.

It’s a huge leap in Radrizzani’s investment prospects to go from shelling out £1million a month to balance Leeds’ books, to branching out into buying another (very big) club.

It wouldn’t be at all surprising if Radrizzani did extend his portfolio by purchasing stakes in other clubs, but with our feet barely under the table in the Premier League, there are bigger fish to fry right now.

Partnerships with the San Francisco 49ers and other potential outside investors is only the start though, and the upward mobility of Leeds United is being shown already since promotion.

It’s a shame to see reports circling around Valencia after being a European powerhouse when Leeds were last up there, but it’s a sign of the clubs that have been able to manage finances well (or not) in 2020.

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Leeds United season ticket holder since 2013/14, currently situated in the middle of the FA5 noise. From Pablo Hernandez to 5-1 drubbings, I've seen it all at Elland Road.