Leeds United could be subject to a takeover.
Leeds United supporters are hoping talks to sell the club to investor Andrea Radrizzani come to fruition, ending Massimo Cellino’s tenure at the helm.
Italian website Calciomercato report that the investor is in talks with Leeds, and with his media company MP & Silva majority owned by Chinese investors, it could be a lucrative development for the Whites.
But what would a takeover mean for the future of promising head coach Garry Monk, who is on a contract which expires at the end of the season?
Leeds manager Garry Monk
Previous comments from Radrizzani, made earlier this year when he negotiated the buyout of Inter Milan, hint that his intention would be to respect the current staff.
Radrizzani helped the Suning Group buy a majority stake in Inter, and he spoke of wanting to guide them to respect traditions of the club.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport in June, he said: “I explained to them that they must integrate into this culture and that it would be important to have an Italian management.”
Asked if they would spend big, he added: “I think so. The Chinese know how much is the Inter brand is worth and will not hesitate to invest, because Inter will open other doors in turn in business and political relations.”
His comments about keeping an Italian manager in charge suggest that in England – he would look for the same approach, which would be to Monk’s benefit.
Garry Monk manager of Leeds United
What he did not expect at Inter was a truly woeful pre-season under Roberto Mancini, which resulted in an embarrassing 6-1 loss to Tottenham.
He was replaced eventually by a foreign coach, Frank de Boer, who has recently been sacked after a poor run of results.
Yet the takeaway is that Mancini was given initial backing, and had results not been so disastrous, he would have been left in charge.
The continuous threat of the axe is the same for nearly every manager, and Monk has been working under pressure at Leeds already under trigger happy Massimo Cellino.
Radrizzani’s approach appears to suggest he is willing to leave the management in charge, who have proven they know best.
If results suffer a downturn, they nobody’s job is safe, but if a takeover happens, then impressive manager Garry Monk may simply be allowed to carry on untroubled.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk and Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
