Angus Kinnear claimed the EFL’s PSR targets are “really cruel” after Leeds United sold Archie Gray this summer.
The midfielder left Elland Road for Tottenham for a fee worth around £40million [Graham Smyth, 1 July].
Gray’s sale was one that rocked the Whites’ fanbase and left many questioning what the transfer window had in store for the West Yorkshire outfit.
Speaking to the Square Ball podcast (12 September) Kinnear admitted that the youngsters’ sale was “very valuable” to the club to comply with financial limits.
“Archie is very valuable from a PSR perspective, because he’s academy-produced, so there is no amortisation, there’s no book value to him at all. So, all of the revenue generated from the sale goes to hit the PSR target,” Kinnear said.
“The PSR targets are really cruel, to come down from a world where you’ve got a gap from the one, three-year rolling number to another three-year rolling number, plus the fact you lose all your TV revenue makes it really, really challenging to stay within those limits.
“We have stayed within them, but the only way you can do it is to sell players.”
Leeds United need to earn Premier League promotion this season
The last line from Kinnear will be one that particularly eases the minds of all Leeds fans.
Although abiding by the EFL’s PSR has cost them players such as Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter [talkSPORT, 2 September] to Premier League sides, the fact that the club have managed to stay within the boundaries will be music to fans’ ears.
Last season Daniel Farke’s men were unlucky to miss out on Premier League promotion after falling at the last hurdle against Southampton.
This season their goals won’t be any different, especially as the West Yorkshire outfit have suitably replaced those who have exited.
If Leeds fail to gain promotion again this season, another fire sale could occur in the summer window and put the Whites in a far worse position than they currently find themselves in.
Without Premier League status, the likes of Illan Meslier, Willy Gnonto and Max Wober could all try and force their way out of the club, which would no doubt end up badly for Farke and his men.
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