Solomon quiet since Marseille speculation

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 7th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Solomon quiet since Marseille speculation

Leeds hopes of securing a permanent deal for Manor Solomon may face a hurdle, as Marseille have reportedly entered the race for the versatile winger. This development follows Solomon's impressive performances during the Whites Championship winning campaign. According to French outlet Team Football, Marseille are planning a move to sign Solomon this summer, potentially disrupting Leeds' pursuit. Solomon is currently under contract with Spurs until 2028, but after struggling to find his place in North London since his arrival in 2023, a move seems likely.

The Israeli international's debut season with Spurs was marred by injuries. However, his loan to Leeds proved transformative. Solomon became a key player in Leeds' Championship-winning season, contributing significantly to their promotion back to the Premier League. In 39 appearances, he recorded a career-best 10 goals and 12 assists, including a dramatic 91st-minute winner against Plymouth Argyle that sealed the title.

Marseille's interest appears concrete, with reports suggesting they have already initiated "concrete discussions" with Solomon's representatives. The French club's manager, Roberto De Zerbi, is reportedly an admirer of the player. Tottenham are said to value Solomon at €17 million (£14.3 million).

While Marseille's interest is clear, Solomon's own preference remains uncertain. Recent reports suggest that the player has avoided directly addressing speculation about his future since lifting the Championship trophy. This leaves the door open for both clubs, and potentially others, to compete for his signature in the coming months. Leeds will need to act decisively if they hope to secure Solomon's services permanently and build on the success of their Championship-winning season.





Leeds United Eyeing Troy Parrott and Evan Ferguson to Bolster Attack

49ers Entreprises will be determined to strengthen Leeds United's attacking options this summer, with reports linking the club to several strikers, including Troy Parrott of AZ Alkmaar. The Irish international has impressed since his move to the Netherlands, netting 20 goals and providing eight assists in all competitions. Leeds have reportedly held internal discussions about a potential deal for Parrott, valuing him at over £20 million, a reflection of his prolific form.

However, Leeds are not alone in their pursuit of the former Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate, with Wolves also reportedly entering the race. While it remains to be seen if AZ Alkmaar would be willing to part ways with Parrott after just one season, a substantial offer in the region of €20m-€25m (£17m-£21.3m) could tempt the Eredivisie club.

Parrott isn't the only striker on Leeds' radar. They are also reportedly monitoring Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson. The young Irish forward, a long-term target for Tottenham Hotspur, has struggled to find the net during his loan spell at West Ham United. This lack of goals might open the door for Leeds to secure Ferguson's signature for a potentially reduced price this summer.

The situation raises an interesting question: Could Leeds leverage Ferguson's underwhelming loan spell to negotiate a cut-price deal and bring him to Elland Road? If Leeds do solidify their interest in the 20-year-old, it will be intriguing to see if Tottenham Hotspur decide to compete for his signature, given their long-standing admiration for the player!





PSR Relief for Leeds

Leeds United fans can breathe a sigh of relief regarding the club's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) situation. Football finance expert Stefan Borson has delivered positive news, explaining that promotion bonuses will be factored into the 2025-26 season calculations, offering the Whites a financial buffer.

Borson clarified that promotion bonuses, estimated at around £20 million, can be treated as expenditure in the subsequent Reporting Period. This essentially means Leeds can defer the financial impact of these bonuses, easing the pressure on their PSR calculations for the immediate 2024-25 season.

This development puts Leeds in a more comfortable position, allowing them greater flexibility in their summer transfer dealings. As Leeds United News' football finance expert, Adam Williams, exclusively revealed recently, Daniel Farke's side is expected to be "one of the busiest" teams in the country this summer.

It’s not a free hit, however, and they will still have to bear the costs of the bonuses. And because for both 2024-25 and 2025-26 they will have spent two of the last three seasons in the three-season monitoring period in the Championship, their PSR cap is set at £61 million for both. So it’s not a reprieve as such, more an administrative reorganisation that means they probably don’t need to do anything drastic before 30th June, which is when the next PSR assessment period begins.

I still think Leeds will need to be really smart this summer. I think you could see one of the biggest squad overhauls of recent years of any club. Unlike last time around when they went up, the 49ers don’t seem to want to load the club with transfer debt. That means paying more upfront, which in turn means they might not be as liberal with how much they spend. That said, if they do want to go big this summer, there are levers they can pull to do that without breaching PSR.

Because new signings are amortised over five years whereas sales profits hit the books immediately, a £50 million profit on player sales gives you £250 million worth of PSR headroom to spend on new signings in your first year in the Premier League. Again, it’s not a free hit. You still have to cover the amortised cost over the next five years, which means you might have to be more conservative in the transfer market next season. But I don’t think they will be forced into a sell-to-buy scenario by PSR per se. However, in terms of cash flow and the budget that the 49ers are willing to sanction, it’s probably a different story.