Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino is funding the signing of Kemar Roofe from Oxford United out of his own pocket, it has been claimed.
Apart from Roofe, the Whites have snapped up goalkeeper Rob Green, defender Kyle Bartley, midfielder Matt Grimes, winger Hadi Sacko and striker Marcus Antonsson already this summer, but only Antonssson has cost a fee.
Leeds pocketed £3.7m from selling Sam Byram to West Ham United earlier this year, while Antonsson cost around the £2m mark; the Whites also spent £600,000 to sign Toumani Diagouraga in the winter transfer window.
And in a sign of how cash-strapped Leeds may be this summer, Cellino is funding Roofe's fee out of his own pocket, according to Radio Yorkshire.
Oxford stuck firm to their stance that Roofe would not leave the club for less than £3m earlier this summer and it remains to be seen whether Leeds were able to talk the club into lowering their asking price.
relatedNewsStory
Roofe won the Player of the Year award in League Two last season as he impressed in helping Oxford to promotion to League One.
Cellino is keen for Leeds under new head coach Garry Monk to challenge for a top six spot in the coming campaign and the Whites are due to hand season ticket holders a partial refund if they do not at least make the playoffs.
