Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has admitted that he learnt a lot about football from his Whites predecessor Massimo Cellino after going to dinner with Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish.
The Italian bought a majority stake in Leeds from Cellino in 2017 and while many might be surprised to hear Radrizzani's admission due to the pair's drastically different ownership styles, he claims that it actually benefitted him in the long-term.
"In 2017, I was having lunch with Kenny Dalglish before Man City-PSG and he mentioned this ‘sleeping giant’ referring to Leeds United," Radrizzani told DAZN.
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"It made me curious because I didn’t even know what he was talking about. I did my research on Google and noticed that in 2004 Leeds were the sixth biggest club in the World with the Champions League semi-finals.
"For some reason, when I see something difficult. It attracts me. So I called Cellino who was the Leeds owner at that time. I pretended I was an agent who wanted to explore the possibility of buying the club on behalf of an Asian client.
"He [Cellino] said he wanted to sell because he was tired, his wife was no longer going to Leeds. After two weeks I told him it was me who was interested in buying. So I spent six months with him. He taught me a lot. He knows about football. We have opposite managing styles but I understood many important things.
"It’s everyone’s dream to own a football club, I managed to do it in the best and most difficult league. Every game is a final. The difference between winning and losing it’s down to details.
"I am proud to be the only Italian owning a Premier League club. Leeds are a glorious club and we managed to get a promotion to the Premier League."
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