Why Can't Leeds Spend This Summer?

Leeds United failed to win promotion after Southampton defeated them 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley.

Daniel Farke’s side will remain in the Championship next season, and fans will expect them to challenge for the title. However, breaking news suggests that the Lilywhites may instead have to sell assets in order to balance the books.

Kieran Maguire took to twitter with the news that Leeds United owe £190 million in outstanding transfer fees, that must be paid in order to spend any money this summer.

Outstanding transfer fee creditors of £190m mean that Leeds will have to pay for old player acquisitions before they can spend this summer. https://t.co/cHxgG7fVjv

— Kieran Maguire (@KieranMaguire) May 26, 2024

To put it plainly, Leeds’ failure in the play-off means they missed out on the huge chunk of money that comes with promotion, and thus they may have to sell on valuable assets in order to generate the necessary revenue.

One player they may be forced to let go of is Crysencio Summerville. The dutch winger has been red-hot this season, scoring 19 goals and providing nine assists for teammates. Summerville has previously been linked with huge teams such as Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal. Should a sizable offer come in for the 22 year-old, Leeds may be, reluctantly, forced to accept as they look to pay off existing debt.

Another asset who Leeds might have to let go of is 18 year-old Archie Gray. The youngster has appeared in all but two of Leeds’ matches across the Championship and play-offs the season, and has had a monumental impact. German giants Bayern Munich are linked, and Gray will be attracting suitors across England and Europe if Leeds are willing to part ways with him.

This will have a devastating impact on Leeds’ ambitions next season, but they do have quality elsewhere in their squad. In positive news, only a portion of the fees are due this summer, and the Lilywhites are due revenue from the midseason sales of Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra which will contribute to the outstanding debt.