Leeds United news: Potential new owner Andrea Radrizzani breaks silence on deal to take over club from fellow Italian Massimo Cellino
ITALIAN businessman Andrea Radrizzani has finally broken his silence and confirmed his interest in acquiring Leeds United from fellow Italian Massimo Cellino.
The 42-year-old, who is co-founder of media rights group MP & Silva, revealed in an interview that he was in "advanced negotiations" with compatriot Massimo Cellino.
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Radrizzani also revealed the way he plans to buy the club, in two stages.
He told the : "Massimo has 100 per cent now and if I do the deal, I will enter the club during this season with 50 per cent and have the option to buy him out completely in June next summer.
"Leeds are exciting. They are a sleeping giant as everyone knows. Probably the only big brand left in English football that could grow in terms of value."
It comes after weeks of mounting speculation, culminating in Radrizzani's visit to Elland Road to watch Garry Monk's resurgent Whites lose to Newcastle a week ago.
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The Juventus supporter, who has visited Elland Road several times, wants to get the club back on track after an unhappy reign of Cellino, who hired and fired multiple managers in his almost three-year tenure in charge.
The businessman reportedly paid more than £30 million for a majority 75 per cent stake in Leeds in 2014 - and he completed his takeover in September this year.
Cellino is also awaiting the outcome of an FA disciplinary panel decision deliberating on whether he paid a six figure “bung” during the transfer of Ross McCormack to Fulham from Leeds in July 2014.
Negotiations started in May and Radrizzani is optimistic that a deal can be completed soon.
He refused to discuss the future of popular manager Monk, who was appointed in June to replace Steve Evans and who has them in the playoff places - or how much he would spend on squad reinforcements for a Premier League promotion push.