Leeds United managing director Angus Kinnear has conceded that due to the EFL’s financial rules, the club cannot afford to keep hold of players not in the first team, simply with a view to developing them.
The Whites added two more players on Championship deadline day in Eddie Nketiah and Illan Meslier, and Marcelo Bielsa has been happy with the business they have done this summer.
Leeds did sell major players such as Pontus Jansson and Kemar Roofe in the summer as well, but also weeded out players such as Caleb Ekuban, Yosuke Ideguchi and Tom Pearce, who were not in line to play this season.
Kinnear admits that in the past Leeds might have looked to have held on to such players with a view to developing them.
But he feels that the EFL’s tight financial rules make it impossible to keel players on their wage bill who would contribute next to nothing in the first team this season.
“In the past, these were players who you might have kept to develop", Kinnear told The Athletic.
“But with the way PnS [the EFL’s Profit and Sustainability rules] is, it’s simple: you cannot afford to have them on your balance sheet.
“You cannot afford to have them doing nothing.”
Leeds are hopeful that they have done enough to strengthen Bielsa’s hands to make another promotion charge possible this season.
