Leeds United are already putting plans in place to sign players for the summer transfer window. The Whites are expecting to be in the Premier League next season and their recruitment ideas are based on being a top-flight club in the coming months. The Yorkshire giants have already made a few decisions on certain players but are waiting to move on them until promotion is secured. Leeds have told Tottenham that they want to sign Manor Solomon on a permanent deal but the negotiations are expected to be tricky in more ways than one due to Everton’s interest in the Spurs loanee.
Solomon joined Leeds United on loan last summer but there were question marks over his fitness after he missed most of last season due to a serious knee injury.
The winger took some time to settle at Elland Road and it was not until December that he really broke into the starting eleven when Daniel Farke decided to drop Wilfried Gnonto due to a sustained run of poor form.
The Israeli has not looked back since then and has been one of the most important players for Leeds as they push towards securing automatic promotion to the Premier League.
The winger played a big part in Leeds’ 2-0 win over Millwall. His run and pass led to Leeds’ early opening goal against the Lions at Elland Road on Wednesday night.
Leeds will make a move to sign him on a permanent deal as soon as promotion is secured but there is one issue they are set to face, which no one anticipated until recently.
Leeds United and Everton’s CEO conundrum
Leeds would be confident of beating Everton to the signature of Solomon if they get promoted to the Premier League given the fact the winger feels happy at Elland Road.
However, there is one issue that is set to come up that no one really anticipated until recently, and it is the eventual departure of Leeds CEO Angus Kinnear at the end of the season.
Kinnear will be joining Everton over the summer as their new chief executive and is expected to take two or three key personnel from the Leeds management with him.
However, the 46-year-old’s exit could also end up affecting Leeds’ plans on the pitch for next season if they get promoted to the Premier League.
Kinnear plays a key role in Leeds’ transfer dealings and will presumably head the talks with Tottenham if they want to sign the winger on a permanent deal.
Leeds will likely move on the winger before Kinnear’s departure and presumably, he will handle the negotiations with the north London club.
However, he is also set to join Everton in the summer and that puts him in a tricky position due to their interest in the Leeds winger ahead of the next window.
What is the solution?
Leeds have already moved to bring in former FA and Premier League chairman Peter McCormick to handle the transition from Kinnear to the new CEO, the club are keen to appoint soon.
However, the experienced lawyer is more of an administrator and will unlikely engage himself in the club’s transfer dealings in the coming months.
Kinnear’s duty is to carry out his remit at Leeds until the day he leaves and his eventual role at Everton should not really affect what he does at Elland Road.
Can you name the season these 10 Leeds United shirts are from?
However, we live in a real world and it would not be wrong to suggest that there is a potential case for conflict of interest if Everton are seriously interested in Solomon.
Kinnear could recuse himself from the negotiations and let someone else in the Leeds hierarchy handle the talks with Tottenham for the winger’s transfer.
Negotiations can fall apart for a myriad of reasons and no one at Leeds would want Kinnear to carry the can of a failed transfer move on his way out, especially if Solomon ends up at Everton.
