Leeds United are closing on securing automatic promotion with eleven games left in the Championship season. The Whites are widely expected to play in the Premier League next season and rumours about their transfer business in the summer are already doing the rounds. The Yorkshire giants are likely to invest in every area of their squad but they are also likely to prioritise signing forwards and bringing in a new number one goalkeeper. Their transfer kitty is likely to be considerable if they get promoted and the club are also expected to bring in funds from player sales. However, the Whites have been told they need to go big or go home in the next transfer window.
Daniel Farke and his Leeds United squad are focused on getting the job done, but there is palpable excitement around Elland Road about Premier League football returning to these parts next season.
However, the struggles of the three promoted teams in the Premier League this season have provided a window to the widening gulf that exists between the quality of the Championship and the top flight.
Leeds are aware that they would need to spend big in the market if they get promoted to have any chance of survival in their first season back in the Premier League.
It is unclear how much money Farke would have access to in the summer transfer window but the warchest is expected to be considerable given the task at hand.
However, what seems big now might not look the same in the Premier League where every club have the funds to spend massive sums of money in the market.
“A £100m budget will be nothing in the Premier League for Leeds United” – ex-Premier League star
Leeds will have a big budget to work with if they get promoted and the ownership is expected to back Farke with resources to retool the squad for the Premier League.
However, the resources won’t be unlimited and Leeds need to find ways to do smart deals for quality players without actually blowing their budget on one or two.
But former Aston Villa star Lee Hendrie admitted that what seems like a big budget for Leeds might not mean much in the Premier League in the summer.
He stressed that a transfer kitty of £100m would be nothing for Leeds in the top flight and they could have to spend somewhere north of the £150m mark if they have to give themselves half a chance of survival.
“£100m seems like absolutely nothing when some of the clubs in the Premier League are spending that on one player, or £80m”, Hendrie said on the Football League World.
“I think it is about getting the personnel, but they will need to spend and invest if they are going to survive in the Premier League, but they will have a good foundation.
“You are going to be talking about over £150, if they are to survive.”
The 49ers need to step up in the summer
The stories about Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe in the last few weeks have been centred on his attempts to lead an American consortium’s bid for Rangers.
While he could be closing in on acquiring the Glasgow giants, the Leeds fans would prefer if he focused a bit more on what could happen at Elland Road in the summer.
Leeds seem to be on their way back to the Premier League but Marathe and his executives need to ensure that Farke has the funds needed to make their stay in the top flight longer than one season.
Can you name these 10 Leeds United players from the 2000s?
The gulf between the Championship and the Premier League has been widening for years and this season proves that the gap has never been bigger.
Leeds would need to start planning for the Premier League as soon as they secure promotion and move early in the transfer window to secure a few of their targets.
They would need to gamble big in the summer and help Farke, who has his own demons to conquer in the Premier League, have a squad ready for top flight football.
