OPINION
The Premier League is the promised land for Leeds United on so many levels.
Apart from the prestige and the tantalising opportunity of one of English football’s great clubs to be back in the top flight, there is the chance for the club to attract and sign better footballers.
As Phil Hay’s latest column in the Yorkshire Evening Post highlights, the top players just don’t want to drop down to the Championship, even if it means the chance of much more game time.
The impeccable correspondent details how Leeds’ extensive talks to sign striker Matej Vydra from Derby County last summer failed because the player was determined to join a Premier League club.
“In his last discussion with the club, face-to-face with chief executive Angus Kinnear, he was asked if he was genuinely enthused by the thought of a transfer to Elland Road and could only say that he had expected offers to come from the top flight,” Hay explained.
Eventually, Vydra joined Chris Wood at Burnley and he has been only a fringe player for Sean Dyche’s side.
This demonstrates the difficulty for Championship clubs of signing top players, and how much easier it will be to do so should Leeds be successful in their promotion pursuit.
With the broadcasting cash that will swell their coffers if they are in the Premier League – a minimum of £100million – United can expect big business.
Marcelo Bielsa has trumpeted the players under his command, and how they are good enough to have thrived at his former clubs Marseille and Athletic Bilbao, but there’s no doubt Leeds would need to embark on an extensive recruitment drive if they get promoted.
Fans can expect the elite players will want to join. And that is a great starting point.