New Leeds United Owner Turns Down Four ‘big companies’ Over Sale

Despite taking over Leeds United in April, new owner Massimo Cellino has revealed he has been approached by four separate parties interested in buying the club this summer.

Italian businessman Cellino said he turned “four big companies” down because he wants to be the one to take Leeds back into the top flight.

Cellino, who recently finalised a deal with Leeds’ former owner Gulf Finance House to re-service the club’s £24million debt, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I didn’t buy a big club here, I bought the biggest club in England. You understand?

“This club has been 12 years in the **** but I have this chance to do something good.

“I’m going to die but I’m going to do something good as well. You know how many people have come here asking to buy this club in the last 40 days? Four. Big companies. I told them I wouldn’t sell for 100 billion. They said ‘for one billion, you will.’

“I tried to explain to them, what is going to change if I sell for one billion?

“I don’t have time to drink a glass of water so if I have one billion, so what? One kilo of caviar, 100 kilos of caviar… I’ll work for my soul and the satisfaction of bringing this club back. How much is that worth? There’s no price.”

Cellino said he hoped to buy back the club’s Elland Road stadium from Manchester-based businessman Jacob Adler “by November”, but remains keen to relocate the club’s training complex from its current Thorp Arch site as part of his continued drive to cut the club’s running costs.