The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Thursday 20th January)

Good Morning. It's Thursday 20th December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road

Could JKA dispute affect Aaronson deal

Leeds pursuit of USA International midfielder Brenden Aaronson could be hampered by the ongoing dispute with RB Leipzig, over former player Jean Kevin Augustin. The German outfit allege Leeds were under obligation to buy the former French U21 forward, though Leeds are vehemently fighting these allegations. The matter is set to be decided at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in March. Augustine currently plays in the Championnat National 2 (the 4th level of French football) with Nantes II, playing four times in the last nine months.

RB Leipzig are the sister club of Red Bull Salzburg. Both are owned under the Red Bull umbrella. Whilst Leeds are confident that their spat with Leipzig will not affect their relationship with the Austrian giants, Aaronson has been linked with a host of European clubs, all desperate for his signature.

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Leeds linked to 6m teen sensation

According to the Daily Mail, Leeds have been strongly linked with Aberdeen's teenage sensation Calvin Ramsay. The young right back has forced his way into the Dons starting line up this season, creating quite a stir from the Premier League. Scouts from Leeds, Leicester, Manchester United, Southampton and Spurs all watched the 18yo in action on Tuesday night against Rangers.

Aberdeen value Ramsay at 6m, and have also indicated that they would want to take their protégé back on loan. Leeds have continually to be linked with various right backs recently. Whilst Leeds may be looking for a long term successor for Ayling, many assumed the role would be inherited by Cody Drameh, who has recently gone out on loan to Cardiff, against the wishes of Leeds Utd.

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Bielsa gushes over Raphinha as contract talks continue

During a recent interview, Marcelo Bielsa proudly gushed over Raphinha, insisting the Brazilian maestro was physically and technically the best player at Elland Road, and his talents have attracted the best clubs in the World. These encomiastical comments come as the Leeds Utd hierarchy lock horns with Raphinha's agent Deco, about tying their prized asset down to new and improved terms.

Currently, the 25yo has 18 months left on his contract. Leeds want to be in a position of power if and when the time comes to part with their superstar winger. If they can persuade Raphinha to commit, and he has a good World Cup this December, his valuation could go through the roof. According to Bielsa:-

“I think it's a great decision. “Raphinha is the best player in the team in all the senses, physically he's the best, technically he's at the level of the best and the interpretation he has of the game is very good, very wise. “[He is] within the group of such a powerful nation of Brazil, he shines in the Premier League and he has the attention of all the big clubs in the world. “All of those things is something you guys (journalists) know just as much as me, nothing I'm saying is new. “As a result, the decision of the club can only be valued.”

According to Phil Hay, contract talks have been progressing for several weeks, and both parties are confident that a deal can be reached.

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Good effort as always. I had to Google "encomiastical" though...

 

Raphinha is only half way through his 2nd season and signed for us on a 4 year deal.

Obviously he now deserves an improved contract but also his agent should and I think will realise that top players move after World Cups not before. Stability will be everything for Raphinha right now and then he'll be looking to move on in the summer of 2023 should his star still be in the ascendancy.

 

By then we’ll have qualified for the 23/24 CL campaign so he’ll be staying at Leeds.

 

Morning all

 

So do we assume that Victor Orta is now in Austria? Yesterdays photo of him with a German Leeds fan in Munich airport would suggest that was the plan. For those who dispute the photo, Eric produced the same photo of Munich airport duty free shop, and yes its in English as International language. So i used google and checked myself and yes the photo was genuine.

Assuming Orta is now dealing with the club and the player can we assume RB Salzburg will allow the deal to happen. They would be quadrupling their purchase price of only last year. A big sell-on % would go to the MLS team Aaronson came from, but thats based upon profit, so a % of c£15m

 

That seems to be the RBS model and they're very good at finding talent and selling it on. Worth building links with them.

 

Yeah they do a great job of snapping up young talent and flogging it on for big profits. Leicester copied their model and even bought one of their players in Patson Daka

 

Raphinha is our player & no other club is having him

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But Leicester aren’t doing that well at the moment

 

Theres two ways to look at success in football. Success on the pitch and in the bank balance and Leicester are making big money, even if the footy has taken a hit. Last night they were doing ok against the spuds until 90 odd minutes and conceded 2 to lose

 

I’m playing devils advocate Doc
What would we prefer, success on the pitch or a club with a healthy bank balance given that you can’t have both

 

Why can’t you have both by having a great coach who actually coaches eventually leads to success on the pitch which in turn leads to financial rewards off it.

 

Man city owners make no money and chelsea the same. Man utd owners do make money and look what they win now. So if Leeds are to make money we can not dine at the top table. If we do all our income goes to players and agents.

 

I'd love to have the success that Leicester are having on the pitch while maintaining a healthy bank balance.

League Champions 2016
Finished 5th last two seasons.
Current FA Cup holders.
Several european campaigns.
Squad worth how much ?

 

Depends what you mean by 'make money'. A few years ago Equifax found that technically, about half of PL clubs are insolvent, with debts greater than the value of their assets and no ability to pay if they were asked.

As the saying goes, "How do you make a small fortune in football? - start with a large fortune."

 

We've not dined at the top table for quite a while which literally puts us billions behind those who have remained in the PL.

We've got up now. We need to consolidate, collect the TV money, buy cheap and sell expensive like Leicester in order to grow the club, upgrade the stadium, improve training facilities, improve the youth setup, employ better coaches, buy better players and gradually rebuild the club in to the global powerhouse it has the potential to be.

Slowly slowly catchy monkey.

Or we get lucky and get a Chelsea/Man City owner for short term success.

 

I don’t think the contract is really about keeping him… it’s more about mutual back scratching to keep him happier for now and secure an understanding of how he leaves. So when he goes the terms/release are agreed by each party - whether it’s this summer or next.

…. Whichever, our late season charge should get us a champions league spot (a year ahead of forza’s pessimistic prediction) thus rendering it all irrelevant

 

Afternoon all

I’ve no idea how good or bad this midfielder is but if Bielsa wants him that’s fine.