Leeds United continue to play the waiting game on the EFL approval of their takeover. Until that green light comes through, 49ers Enterprises are unable to formally appoint a head coach and their hopes of making the necessary additions to their playing squad remain suspended in mid-air.
Work is ongoing in the background, of course, with Leeds doing what they can to get ready for the new Championship season, which is now less than five weeks away. Nick Hammond is hard at work identifying targets and lining things up, but the incoming new owners cannot act until they have officially been given the keys.
Unfortunately, while Leeds have been waiting for communication, they have seen their rivals for promotion steal a march. Leicester City are the talk of the Championship after securing the signatures of Conor Coady and Harry Winks, while a host of other teams including perceived promotion rivals Norwich City, Watford and Millwall, have all strengthened over the course of the summer so far.
Leeds aren’t worried by the situation they find themselves in at present with time still firmly on their side this summer. But, the longer the wait goes on, the more likely it seems that it will have an impact on the Whites’ plans in the market with targets potentially going elsewhere.
Nat Phillips is known to be one man on Leeds’ radar, for example. The club are keen to add to their defensive ranks this summer and they have earmarked Phillips as an option, but, of course, they have been unable to make a formal move as of yet.
The initial sounding out process will have taken place and the club could be aware of the likelihood of the Liverpool defender agreeing to join the Whites. But, until contracts have been signed, there can be no guarantees, meaning there’s always a chance that the deal could slip away as time ticks on, especially given Leeds are unlikely to be the only club interested.
Players have to look out for themselves, of course, and an elongated period of uncertainty at Elland Road, particularly as the start of the season gets closer, could push them to explore other options available to them. That would potentially leave Leeds in the lurch, looking for other options later in the window and they could even end up paying inflated prices as clubs look take advantage of their situation.
Obviously that hypothetical instance would be less than ideal, it’s fair to say, as the club tries to prepare itself for a push at promotion back to the Premier League. Hopefully, though, that EFL approval will come through in the coming days to give the Whites permission to begin wheeling and dealing in the market.
Until it does Leeds’ squad looks painfully imbalanced and in need of fresh faces.
