The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 25th March) - Leeds held talks with Ibrahimovic prior to January transfer window

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 25th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Leeds held talks with Ibrahimovic prior to January transfer window

Andrea Radrizzani sensationally revealed that the club held talks with Zlatan Ibrahimovic prior to the January transfer window. The 38 year old former Swedish International decided instead to sign a six month deal to take him back to the San Siro. Although the wrong side of 30, the veteran striker continues to score goals wherever he goes. Eight games in to his second spell at AC Milan, the 6ft 5 hitman has already netted 3 times. Ibrahimovic did not discount joining the Whites once his short term contract expires. The main hurdle is whether Bielsa would EVER be prepared to drop Bamford, and give anyone else a chance?





Leeds players salaries to be capped at £6000 per week

Leeds Utd Managing Director Angus Kinnear and Director of football Victor Orta met with players (conference calls) to discuss the financial impact the coronavirus has had on the club.

The wages bill at Elland Road has more than doubled over the last two years to a staggering 40m, more than half a dozen Premier league clubs. Leeds have the highest gate receipts in the Championship, and with only minimal income coming in and no parachute payments like some of their rivals, the club is looking to minimise their expenditure.

The hierarchy have asked players and staff whether they'd consider having the majority of their wages deferred until the disruption of the coronavirus passes. The proposal believed to be put forward would mean that all players (and staff) would have their salaries capped at a maximum of £6000 per week. Early reports suggest the players are embracing the idea. A number of players including Hernandez, Cooper, Dallas, Klich and Ayling join Forshaw earning circa £20,000 a week.





Coronavirus could prove to be an economic disaster for the Whites - Radrizzani

Andrea Radrizzani has been speaking to the Italian press on how the coronavirus is effecting the Whites.Y He also admits the crisis could prove to be an economic "disaster" for the Championship leaders.

A disaster, unfortunately. To be competitive, a club like ours loses £8m to £10m every year and nobody wants to keep a business that loses money every year. This situation aggravates the budget. Not having five home games, we will lose about £2.5m, which are the only source of revenues since such figures do not come from TV rights. This epidemic aggravates this situation, which is already normally complicated.

[Cjay]

Zlatan.

Does love a name drop does Radz

He may have talked to Zlatan but i dont believe this was any more likely then his Conte thing.

Good for a giggle though

The club is in a tight spot, hopefully the players agree to the wage cut.

[HarryofOz]

Zlatan and Haaland, was there anyone we didn't talk to?

[Irish Ian]

Zlatan and Haaland, was there anyone we didn't talk to?

We only spoke to them cos Billy Paynter is ex directory..

[Irish Ian]

Morning Folks.

Leeds wages capped at 6K.

Poor them how will they cope?

[HarryofOz]

We only spoke to them cos Billy Paynter is ex directory..

[Norm]

With ease, if with with uncertainty for the future.

[Muppet the Cat]

The hierarchy have asked players and staff whether they'd consider having the majority of their wages deferred until the disruption of the coronavirus passes. The proposal believed to be put forward would mean that all players (and staff) would have their salaries capped at a maximum of £6000 per week. Early reports suggest the players are embracing the idea. A number of players including Hernandez, Cooper, Dallas, Klich and Ayling join Forshaw earning circa £20,000 a week.

Forshaw earning £20k a week - value for money

[Cjay]

The hierarchy have asked players and staff whether they'd consider having the majority of their wages deferred until the disruption of the coronavirus passes. The proposal believed to be put forward would mean that all players (and staff) would have their salaries capped at a maximum of £6000 per week. Early reports suggest the players are embracing the idea. A number of players including Hernandez, Cooper, Dallas, Klich and Ayling join Forshaw earning circa £20,000 a week.

Forshaw earning £20k a week - value for money

Thats another thing

Radz is often talking about how high the wage bill is but he has allowed that to happen and have any of those 5 aside from Klich and Pablo shown enough quality and consistency in the years they have been here to justify those £20k wages?

I wouldn't say so.

[Chilli D]

Morning Folks.

Leeds wages capped at 6K.

Poor them how will they cope?

Hopefully they can get by on an annual salary of £312,000 for now returning to their salary circa 1m once football is back.

Clubs in the lower leagues will suffer much more than us.
How long will it be before clubs in League 2 for example tell their players they can't afford to pay them until they are back playing again?

[1964white]

The hierarchy have asked players and staff whether they'd consider having the majority of their wages deferred until the disruption of the coronavirus passes. The proposal believed to be put forward would mean that all players (and staff) would have their salaries capped at a maximum of £6000 per week. Early reports suggest the players are embracing the idea. A number of players including Hernandez, Cooper, Dallas, Klich and Ayling join Forshaw earning circa £20,000 a week.

Forshaw earning £20k a week - value for money

£20k a week for a crock

[1964white]

Morning Folks.

Leeds wages capped at 6K.

Poor them how will they cope?

Must be painful for them

[HarryofOz]

I suppose that it does seem odd to most people that earning 6k a week is a pay cut.

But that's the world we live in. The big earners are in the entertainment industry - be it sport, music, acting (though I'm sure there are many who don't earn that much).

But that is what happens when people are prepared to spend their money consuming what the entertainment industry provides.

[John in Louisiana]

When your budgets and investments are predicated on an income of X number of pounds per month, being asked to take 0.3 * X is a serious imposition, regardless of how large X is. I applaud the players being willing to take the pay cut. It's damned generous of them.

I would be less sympathetic if the cost of a ticket was anything close to what it costs to go to an NFL or NBA game here in the States (baseball is still a relative bargain), but the most expensive single game ticket at Elland Road is still less than forty pounds. Compare that to two hundred or more for American sports.

Still waiting on word of how it was that Jamie Vardy didn't agree to terms during the transfer window.

[Norm]

John in Louisiana wrote:

When your budgets and investments are predicated on an income of X number of pounds per month, being asked to take 0.3 * X is a serious imposition, regardless of how large X is. I applaud the players being willing to take the pay cut. It's damned generous of them.

I would be less sympathetic if the cost of a ticket was anything close to what it costs to go to an NFL or NBA game here in the States (baseball is still a relative bargain), but the most expensive single game ticket at Elland Road is still less than forty pounds. Compare that to two hundred or more for American sports.

Still waiting on word of how it was that Jamie Vardy didn't agree to terms during the transfer window.

This may be a joke but I for one would happily support that if there was a chance.
I watched as many Leicester games as I could in their thrilling title-winning season.
I loved Leicester's football that year, especially but not limited to their forward play.