Leeds United managing director Angus Kinnear believes that the Whites have now got things right with their wage bill, which is at a level which usually sees sides promoted to the Premier League.
The Yorkshire giants have pushed their wage bill upwards and it is now two and a half times higher than the level chairman Andrea Radrizzani inherited from previous owner Massimo Cellino.
Leeds have held off spending on transfers this summer, instead focusing on the loan market and bringing in cash through selling Pontus Jansson (£5.5m), Kemar Roofe (£5.5m to £7m), Bailey Peacock-Farrell (£3.5m) and Jack Clarke (£9.7m).
The sales have helped to support a larger wage bill, with Kinnear insisting the Whites have done their homework on the kind of salary levels which bring promotion from the Championship.
The managing director told The Athletic: "Over the past 10 years or so the club’s average finishing position in the Championship was around 12th and the wage bill when Andrea first came here was in line with that.
"We’ve done a lot of analysis of this.
"There’s always the odd exception but, in general, a wage bill of £15m or £16m will get you a mid-table place. A wage bill of £25m will get you into the play-offs. And over £30m will get you promoted.
"The reality when Andrea started was that players here weren’t being paid enough.
"They were underpaid", he added.
Leeds are wary of being in breach of the EFL's financial fair play rules and it remains to be seen how much money might be made available to bring in reinforcements in the January transfer window.
While head coach Marcelo Bielsa replaced Kemar Roofe with loanee Eddie Nketiah, he did not bring in another centre-back to replace Jansson, who was sold to Championship promotion rivals Brentford.
