Here are your Leeds United headlines on Tuesday, May 23.
Graham Potter and Brendan Rodgers mentioned as possible options to become next Leeds United manager
If Leeds United were to avoid relegation from the Premier League this weekend, they would try and make Graham Potter the club's new manager.
That is according to The Athletic, who claim the Whites 'would like to try and engage' someone of Potter's ilk, after his success during three seasons in charge of Brighton and Hove Albion. Potter, of course, is currently out of work after a short but unsuccessful stint as Chelsea manager.
However, should they be relegated from the Premier League on Sunday, the report claims Brendan Rodgers - who was recently sacked as Leicester City boss - would come into the equation.
But given Rodgers guided Leicester to FA Cup success in 2021, successive fifth placed Premier League finishes in 2020 and 2021, as well as his relatively recent success with Celtic and Liverpool, it is unknown whether he would be willing to drop down to the Championship for the first time since guiding Swansea City to promotion in 2011.
READ MORE: Andrea Radrizzani speaks out on Sampdoria takeover plans and ambitions amid Leeds United exit talks
Sam Allardyce has risked losing part of Leeds United's dressing room to find Sunday's soldiers
If he hadn’t already sussed out the mentality of his squad players at Leeds United, Sam Allardyce will see undisputedly what kind of character they have on Sunday. If the magnitude of the relegation stakes were not enough to test their mettle, their head coach has now openly questioned whether they are up to this.
If Allardyce had any plans to modify the starting XI he used at London Stadium for Tottenham Hotspur’s visit, he had better hope his replacements have thick skins. On two occasions in Sunday’s post-match press conference, Allardyce criticised the lack of impact from the quintet he introduced from the bench.
The head coach’s comments about the lack of an alternative centre forward were damning of a sixth member too, in Georginio Rutter. Will they step up with gritted teeth to prove the 68-year-old wrong or fold in a sulk about it?
“The impact of the subs wasn't there as I expected,” said Allardyce. “I expected a better impact from the subs, so that gives me an even bigger look at the situation and the squad as a whole, seeing who can make a difference and, unfortunately, I don't think any of the subs made a difference today when we needed them.”
Read the full story, here.
Andrea Radrizzani speaks out on Sampdoria takeover plans and ambitions amid Leeds United exit talks
Leeds United owner and chairman Andrea Radrizzani has outlined his plans to take over Serie A outfit Sampdoria. The Italian is in Genoa to play a leading role in Gestio Capital’s bid to buy Sampdoria, who have already been relegated from the top flight and risk bankruptcy if their considerable debts are not paid.
Radrizzani was spotted at the club’s training ground in Genoa on Monday morning as he tries to put a deal in place to save the club and he spoke to reporters at the time to express his optimism. He has now opened up a little more on his ambitions with Sampdoria, who were considered to be one of Europe’s elite clubs during the early 1990s.
His appearance in Genoa came less than 24 hours after Leeds United’s defeat to West Ham United at the London Stadium, and the timing of it has provoked an unwelcome response from many Whites fans on social media. However, his interest in the Italian club might just be the clearest indication yet that he is preparing to leave Elland Road, with a bid from 49ers Enterprises being mooted.
“We came to Genoa above all to get to know the board of directors, to introduce ourselves to them as professionals and to talk about our background in sport and the media,” Radrizzani is quoted as saying by Il Secolo XIX via SampNews24, in regards to his interest in Sampdoria. “Then explain our project, or rather our industrial plan for Sampdoria,” he said.
“We are ambitious. Aware of the history, culture, brand of this company and of the passion and strength of its fans, who constitute a heritage of great value. We wanted to get to know these structures, there is so much to do, but there is also so much quality.”
Read the full story, here.
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