Financial expert Kieran Maguire believes that Chelsea will be ‘prepared’ to meet Leeds United’s asking price for Victor Orta, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Orta linked with Chelsea

The 43-year-old, who has been director of football at Elland Road since 2017, appears to be on the radar at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea looking for a new sporting director.

Recent reports have stated that the Blues' co-owner Todd Boehly will step up interviews this week, with Orta seemingly on a four-man shortlist alongside Atalanta’s Lee Congerton, Sevilla’s Monchi and Benfica’s Rui Pedro Braz.

The Latest: Maguire’s comments

Maguire, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Orta and Chelsea.

He believes that Leeds will hold out for a ‘maximum amount’ for the 43-year-old, although he feels that the Blues ‘will be prepared to pay whatever the asking price is’.

[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-51/" 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"]

Maguire stated:

“With the Dan Ashworth to Newcastle case, we saw that directors of football are now in the upper echelons as far behind-the-scenes staff are concerned.

“Todd Boehly appointing himself as the interim sporting director is a really good case for having a professional do it as opposed to an amateur.

“Chelsea have behaved in a haphazard and disjointed way over the summer with regards to recruitment.

“Leeds will therefore hold out for the maximum amount. If they do not get their way, they are entitled to put Orta on gardening leave and make things as awkward as possible for Chelsea.

“Having said that, given the speed with which Graham Potter went to Chelsea, I suspect that the club will be prepared to pay whatever the asking price is.”

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Orta was the mastermind behind bringing Marcelo Bielsa to Elland Road and has played a key role in taking the Whites from a mid-table Championship side to a Premier League club.

Therefore, it would be a blow if he ends his five-year stay in Yorkshire to join Chelsea, with the Spaniard working closely with Jesse Marsch.

While you could argue a few of his big-money Leeds transfers haven’t gone to plan, his track record contains more positive than negative deals in Yorkshire. He has helped Marsch massively over the summer with a number of additions, so hopefully he stays put for another while yet.