Leeds United’s potential under the ownership of 49ers Enterprises depends on one thing – promotion to the Premier League.
During Leeds‘ most recent stay in the top-flight, Andrea Radrizzani simply didn’t have the funds or structure in place to help the club really push on after a ninth-place finish in their first season back.
One of Radrizzani’s right-hand men at Leeds Angus Kinnear even admitted he should’ve sold the club earlier, which would’ve allowed the 49ers to take the club to the next level.
As it happened, the 49ers instead completed their full buyout of Leeds after relegation back in the summer of 2023.
Their first full season saw Leeds fall just short of promotion, but they are once again right in the race. If Leeds can get it done, the potential to grow is significantly bigger under this ownership.
Manuel Ugarte of Manchester United and Erling Haaland of Manchester City battle for possession during the Premier League match between Manchester C...
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Eirik Bakke makes huge Erling Haaland to Leeds claim
Leeds have arguably a bigger pulling power than any of the recent promoted teams, purely due to the size and history of the club.
Though Rodrigo Moreno’s stint in West Yorkshire was up and down, Leeds were still able to attract Spain’s starting number nine (at that time) as their first signing back in the Premier League after 16 years away.
And one man who has been tipped by Eirik Bakke to make a sensational move to Elland Road in the future is his Norwegian compatriot Erling Haaland.
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Bakke was a former teammate of Erling’s Dad Alf-Inge at Leeds, which is where the superstar Manchester City striker was, of course, born.
Leeds actually nearly signed Haaland when he was still at Molde back in 2017, but the Whites could not afford the fee for a 17-year-old who apparently wasn’t first team ready.
Haaland remains a Leeds fan to this day and even suggested signing Marching On Together at his City initiation. Bakke says it is still the Norway star’s dream to play for Leeds in the future.
He told Leeds Live: “When I came over, Erling was born a year after. To see him grow up from that little energetic boy to what he is now is crazy. Leeds has got a special place in his heart.
“If it wasn’t for Pep Guardiola and Man City, I think he would love to play for Leeds one day. He was born in Leeds. It was a special day when he scored two goals there.”
Leeds will have to wait 10-years for Haaland
While it may be his dream to play for Leeds one day, there are many reasons, not just Pep Guardiola, while that is a long way off.
Of course, the main is that Leeds are years away from competing at the top of the Premier League again, which is Haaland’s level.
It is likely that some time in the future, Haaland will also go onto play for one of Barcelona or Real Madrid. Needless to say, the finances behind a deal is another.
The only way this ever has a chance of happening is when Haaland gets to the twilight of his career and decides he wants to close it out by playing for his boyhood club.
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