Leeds United are sitting at the summit of the Championship table and are pushing to secure automatic promotion in the final nine games of the season. The Whites have big plans for the summer if they return to the Premier League but the club are also undergoing a sea change behind the scenes. Angus Kinnear will leave his CEO role at the end of the season to join Everton with two or three key figures expected to follow him to Goodison Park. Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe’s move to acquire Rangers has also raised eyebrows at West Yorkshire, but it seems he and the 49ers are drawing closer to getting the deal over the line.
It emerged last month that Marathe and the 49ers are leading the efforts to buy Rangers and there are claims that a deal is now in place between the two parties.
The Americans are set to acquire 51 percent of Rangers initially and they are expecting to complete the takeover deal before the start of the 2025/26 season.
Marathe’s move to buy Rangers has raised eyebrows at Leeds, especially ahead of a summer when the club are expecting to spend big if they get promoted to the Premier League.
Leeds’ revenue is more than double that of what Rangers earn without Premier League football, but some have suggested the Gers are big enough to turn the Whites into their feeder club.
The speculation has not pleased Leeds fans one bit who want their chairman to focus on turning the Whites into a Premier League club over the summer transfer window.
However, more signs have dropped that Marathe and the 49ers are getting closer than ever to bringing Rangers under the same umbrella in the coming months.
A key ex-Leeds United figure was at Ibrox on Thursday night
Rangers secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday night after they beat Turkish giants Fenerbahce on penalties.
It was a raucous European night at Ibrox as Rangers progressed in the Europa League but curiously there was a Leeds connection in Glasgow last night.
Former Leeds technical director Gretar Steinsson was in attendance at Ibrox to watch Rangers beat Fenerbahce and reach the quarter-finals of a European competition.
It is the clearest sign until now that the 49ers are serious about diversifying their football portfolio and are set to take charge of Rangers over the summer.
Steinsson was a 49ers hire at Leeds and he recently left the technical director’s role at Elland Road to head a similar position in general at the 49ers, suggesting that he will cover multiple clubs, which is set to include the Whites and Rangers
It is worth it for Leeds fans to keep an eye out on what is happening at Ibrox as it seems certain that the two clubs will be under the same umbrella at some point this year.
The 49ers are rapidly moving towards a multi-club model
Whether Leeds fans like it or not, the 49ers are going ahead with their plans to establish a multi-club model, which the Whites would be part of.
A deal is in place to buy Rangers and they are expecting to be in charge of the Glasgow giants ahead of the start of the 2025/26 season.
For now, it seems unlikely that Leeds and Rangers will be on a collision course at any point given the Whites have a massive financial advantage over the Scots.
  Can you name these 10 former Leeds United players?
Leeds would be an even bigger financial behemoth if they get promoted to the Premier League and they should be in two different realities.
However, Rangers’ European progress shows why the 49ers want the Glasgow giants as it gives them a foothold in UEFA competitions.
Leeds are still some way away from being in Europe and need to establish themselves as a Premier League club first if they get promoted this season.
Steinsson’s presence is a clear sign that the 49ers are more than serious about getting their hands dirty at Rangers over the next few months.
