Leeds United have made some smart financial decisions when it comes to handing contracts to players over the past few years. The club saved themselves a lot of money a few seasons ago when they were relegated to the Championship.
The Whites spent close to £300million on arrivals during their time in the Premier League. All this was due to the result of wildly different recruitment policies from season to season. From Victor Orta handling business for Bielsa to the club fully backing Jesse Marsch, those seasons in the top flight saw a whole host of faces arrive at Elland Road.
One good thing the club did was to include relegation wage clauses, which softened the blow when the club went back down to the Championship in 2023.
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Leeds United could suffer huge financial blow
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The club did some smart thinking with the wage clauses a few seasons ago. But now, their recent contracts have had a caveat. Since Leeds were in the Championship, they had to complete some transfers with the promise of paying fees when eventually promoted.
Leeds will pay promotion clauses to several clubs following their Premier League return. Swansea will bank £1.8m for Joel Piroe while Fortuna Düsseldorf (Al Tanaka) and Almeria (Largie Ramazani) also in line for a cash bonus as part of their deals. #LeedsUnited #LUFC #SCFC
— Darren Witcoop (@DarrenOWitcoop) April 22, 2025
Since the club reached the Premier League, some payments have been made to clubs due to the promotion clauses being activated. Darren Witcoop has reported that Leeds will pay Swansea up to £1.8million. He is not the only player, as Almeria and Fortuna Dusseldorf will also receive an amount for Ao Tanaka and Largie Ramazani.
These fees could be negligible to the club after they receive their bumper payment from the Premier League for winning promotion. Finance expert Kieran Maguire estimates that the club will receive a £110million for this feat.
Are promotion clauses bad for finances?
Just like relegation clauses, promotion clauses are a normal thing among clubs. It just serves as a way to guarantee finances on both sides. Clubs save money when players on huge wages remain at the club when they are relegated, as they take temporary wage cuts.
Promotion clauses also help the selling club, as they buying club will have to pay a moderate fee to complete the deal. Leeds now have to focus on this summer’s transfer market, former Premier League boss Tim Sherwood has advised the team to spend heavily to boost their chances of survival.
