Breaking News: Leeds united star refuses to sign a new deal and is determined to leave the club
When it was announced that Red Bull had bought a minority stake in Leeds United, many speculated that the company was eyeing a full takeover further down the line.
Exactly how much the Austrian energy drinks giant has purchased in the club is not known, but German media have reported it is around 10 per cent.
Red Bull were quick to guarantee that, unlike their other investment ventures in sport, Leeds would retain their own unique identity and colours as part of the deal.
General view inside the stadium prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United FC and Hull City AFC at Elland Road on August 31, 2024…
Photo by Cameron Smith/Getty Images
The new minority investors have also pumped around £8m into Leeds as part of a new front-of-shirt deal, which is a record for a Championship club.
The investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, 49ers Enterprises, took full control of Leeds from Andrea Radrizzani last summer.
The NFL giants have signalled they are in for the long haul by buying back land from Radrizzani that would potentially allow Leeds to expand Elland Road.
However, that has not stopped speculation that Red Bull may one day wish to up their stake in the West Yorkshire club.
But the latest flurry of activity has given a signal of what the long-term ambitions of Red Bull really are.
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Red Bull strike four new deals
It is a highly unusual situation for the co-owner of a top English club like Leeds to directly fund potential rivals via sponsorship.
But that is exactly what Red Bull have done in recent weeks, striking commercial deals with Newcastle United, Everton, West Ham and, most recently, Crystal Palace.
There has been situations in which businesses have sponsored clubs only to then take over another, such as when Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS sponsored Tottenham before he bought 27 per cent of Man United.
But the same very rarely happens in reverse.
And Red Bull’s sudden push to get involved in Premier League football with multiple multi-year sponsorship deals indicates that they are unlikely to up their stake in Leeds any time soon.
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