By Adam Williams, Finance & Governance Correspondent

17th May, 2023 | 4:37pm

Revealed: Leeds United on course for £53m plunge as paperwork uncovered

Leeds United will automatically cut at least £53million from their wage bill if they are relegated at the end of the season, Football Insider analysis shows.

The West Yorkshire side – who have appointed Sam Allardyce to oversee a rescue mission – occupy the last of the three relegation spots with just two games to go.

They trail Everton by a single point ahead of their final matches against West Ham and Tottenham over the next two weekends.

As has been reported elsewhere, Leeds have implemented clauses in their players’ contracts that will see wages fall by 50-60 per cent if they find themselves in the Championship next term.

Their wage bill was £106.5m according to their most recent set of accounts, although that figure may have risen with the additions they made after the balance sheet date of 30 June 2022

Based on the available figures, a 50 per cent cut across the board would leave Leeds with a wage bill of £53.25m.

That would still be comfortably the biggest in the Championship, although Leeds would almost certainly be forced to sell some of their highest earners to further trim their costs.

Revenue would plummet by over £100m in the event of relegation, with parachute payments softening that blow by around £45m in the first season.

Significantly, Leeds’ league status is likely to be a major factor in the price that the San Francisco 49ers pay Andrea Radrizzani to buy the club in the near future.

A full takeover has long been expected, although the value of that deal would nosedive in the second tier.

In other news, Scottish sensation passes Leeds United medical with announcement imminent.