{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Kieran Maguire hails 'Leeds masterplan' involving 49ers after 'massive' news
Leeds United can only break into the Premier League’s financial elite if they press forward with plans to expand Elland Road.
So says finance expert Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about recent comments made by Leeds CEO Angus Kinnear.
He told the Square Ball podcast on 9 August that the planning process for stadium expansion will start next year if Leeds beat the drop in 2021-22.
The ambition is to boost capacity at the West Yorkshire stadium to 60,000 over a phased construction cycle.
Maguire highlighted just how important engorged matchday income will be if Leeds are to smash the glass ceiling in the Premier League.
“I don’t think surviving relegation will necessarily be a deal-maker or breaker,” he told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams.
“They have signed up with San Francisco 49ers and they are certainly popular with sponsors either way.
“But it would help from a planning perspective in terms of generating external funding for the stadium if they were in the Premier League.
“Leicester have publicised their plans for the new stadium and they look pretty spectacular.
“And to a certain extent in the Premier League these days, you need to run to stand still. There’s this constant keep-up mentality.
“West Ham, Liverpool, Man City have all expanded because it’s a revenue stream which the big clubs can sell out practically every match.
“It’s a massive project, of course. But we’re at maximum TV revenue so it’s something they need to exploit.
“This is all part of Leeds’ masterplan to break into the top six. They need to have a stadium which generates more cash than Elland Road.”
In other news, pundit claims the is why Lewis O’Brien is demanding “massive” Leeds United move over Crystal Palace.