Victor Orta admitted that the club has been forced to sell Kalvin Phillips after overspending in previous seasons. The Whites survived on the final day of the Premier League season but could lose two of their biggest stars with Raphinha the subject of a reported bid from Chelsea.
Reports in Spain this morning claim that Barcelona have come in with a late offer and are set to beat Thomas Tuchel's side to securing his services, but as things stand unless Raphinha accepts Chelsea's offer, the Brazilian could be play some part in Leeds United's pre-season. Orta told COPE's Great Match show that Phillips has been sold, but no agreement is in place yet for Raphinha.
"This year we have to sell because we’ve spent various years spending money," he said, in an interview translated by Joe Brennan. "We are going to sell Kalvin and let’s see who else we sell, that’s clear, but we have been capable to sell to keep growing. The first year we were able to come up and spend nearly 90 million straight away - the risk coming up [but] knowing you have parachute payments coming if you go down."
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The Whites are in the market to bolster their squad after being linked with RB Salzburg midfielder Mohamed Camara and Club Brugge striker Charles De Ketelaere. Money from Raphinha's sale would allow Leeds to make advances with those deals.
Orta is under no illusion that the Whites will be left scrapping to sign players, and risk losing their best as a result of their recent promotion. "Look, the Premier League surprised me in one thing and it’s that all games are difficult for one reason: every team has one really good player, or two or three," he told COPE.
"This makes every game really interesting. It’s not easy to win against anyone here. I mean, we got a lot of goals scored against us last season at times, a little bit for our style etc etc but it is difficult to win because there are good players on every team.
"I read a stat that at the Euro 2020, the Premier League and Championship had 152 players, the next one was Germany with 80-something. In the end the best players come and the product sells itself. Then of course it’s well sold."
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