San Francisco 49ers could carry on as minority shareholders in Leeds United moving forward, financial expert Kieran Maguire has claimed.

The Lowdown: 49ers' minority shares

Seen as one of the biggest sporting franchises in America, the 49ers first got involved with the Whites in 2018, with their interest steadily growing ever since.

They currently own 44% of the club and many reports in recent months and years have predicted that they will eventually become majority shareholders at Elland Road

It may be that that doesn't come to fruition just yet, though, judging by a recent claim from a football finance expert

The Latest: Maguire makes 49ers claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire admitted that he could envisage a scenario where the 49ers continue in their current minority shareholder guise at Elland Road.

He stated:

"The 49ers will be assessing things at Leeds. It could be that they are quite happy to have a minority relationship with the club. Remember, their focus will be on making a financial return on their investment should they become majority shareholders.

"They are an organisation which is geared towards the numbers. They also have to ensure the success of the other companies that are part of their overall empire."

[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-50/" title="Latest Leeds United news" poster="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg" width="360" height="600" align="none"]

The Verdict: Best for the club?

The current state of Leeds looks positive both on and off the pitch, with Jesse Marsch galvanising his squad after the doomed final months of Marcelo Bielsa's reign.

For that reason, the current ownership situation remaining unchanged, with Andrea Radrizanni continuing to be a passionate owner who doesn't seem to plan on selling up, makes sense.

Should the time eventually come for 49ers to be majority shareholders, though, it could be a move which makes Leeds even stronger financially, potentially taking them to the next level.