Leeds United pair Victor Orta and Angus Kinnear could potentially be moved on in their roles if 49ers Enterprises buy a majority stake, Phil Hay has claimed.
The Lowdown: Changes afoot at Leeds
The Whites are continuing to battle to stay in the Premier League on the pitch, but there is also plenty going on off it at Elland Road at the moment.
Endless rumours have suggested that 49ers Enterprises are looking to become sole owners of Leeds sooner rather than later, in what would be a major change at the club.
Orta and Kinnear are currently sporting director and managing director at Elland Road, respectively, but an update has emerged regarding their futures.
The Latest: Hay drops new claim
Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay said that the pair could possibly be moved on if the 49ers believe others could do a superior job when they come in as owners:
"These are the sort of questions that 49ers Enterprises would need to answer themselves. All the noises to this point suggested that if and when the group took control, changes at the top would be gradual rather than sweeping from the outset."My impression for a long time was that Kinnear and Orta would stay on, certainly in the transitional period. 49ers Enterprises regarded them as assets."But given the way this season and last season have gone, there will have to be close scrutiny of the way Leeds are operating — and whether the setup is right for the longer term."It’s been a battle from the summer of 2021 onwards. To be fair, increased financial clout would allow the club to change how they work."
The Verdict: Could make sense
Ultimately, the key decisions at any football club rest with the owners and that will be absolutely no different if and when the 49ers have a majority stake in Leeds.
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For that reason, Orta and Kinnear will no doubt be assessed in their roles, and if the incoming owners don't believe they are right for the position, they should go.
That being said, the duo have both played big roles in the club's recent success, as Leeds have battled their way back into the Premier League, so it would arguably be a surprise if they were disposed of, particularly straight away.