Clocks will start ticking for Leeds United at 6.30pm on Sunday evening. Once it is finally clear which division they will be in, the dominoes on their future will have to start toppling, and quickly.
Understandably, no meaningful decisions can be made until the hundreds-of-millions-of-pounds impact of relegation or survival is resolved. Preparation can, and must, be done in advance of Sunday’s full-time whistle because there will not be much time at all for ducks to be put in a row.
By now, supporters should be familiar with the various Elland Road issues at play. Ownership needs to be resolved in short order, allowing virtually every other decision of the close season to fall into place.
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Leeds need a director of football, if they choose to persist with that model, a head coach or manager and then a root-and-branch review of the squad. If, as the odds would suggest, the Whites are relegated on Sunday the player exits are sure to hit double figures.
There is so little time for all of the components to be settled and working in harmony before the new campaign begins. EFL and Premier League have now confirmed the transfer window will officially open on June 14 and then close on September 1.
While the window will close after almost a full month of football has been played, Leeds will want the majority of their house in order before the first ball is kicked. Television selections aside, top-flight football is scheduled to return from August 12 and the Championship from one week earlier on August 5.
If Leeds are playing in the second tier, they will have 52 days of the open transfer window to get their squad as close to complete as possible. When you factor in the time it may take to establish a majority shareholder, director of football and head coach, it’s likely Leeds will have far less than 50 days with everyone in place and operational.
If they are in the Championship, wages will automatically be slashed, but taking more of the highest earners off the budget would be prudent, while United’s higher-profile names are sure to attract bids from higher up the pyramid home and abroad. It’s a tight window and time will be of the essence.
For example, at the time of writing, it’s been 53 days since Leeds visited Arsenal in the league. That’s the kind of time frame the Whites will have to make themselves competitive, whichever division they are in.
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