Exclusive: Pundit suggests Leeds may secure portion of Qatar cash pot ahead of January | OneFootball

Noel Whelan has suggested Leeds United may secure a portion of a potentially mammoth Qatar cash pot ahead of the January window.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-United striker claimed super-rich Middle East investors could frontload some money to the club as part of a mega-money takeover deal.

Whelan pointed out how it would make sense for all parties for Leeds’ promotion bid to be given a January cash boost from the only one of the three potential investors named by Andrea Radrizzani.

The United owner revealed in a Times interview yesterday he is considering an offer from Qatar to take the club to a level where they could “compete with Manchester City”.

“This is exactly what Leeds fans want to hear,” Whelan told Football Insider. “I know he’s saying he would wait until Leeds to get promoted before he would agree a deal.

“That would be a risk. He may do a deal where Qatar invest some money in the club to improve the squad in January. If he is going to sell, Radrizzani should be talking about doing it now.

“There is no guarantee we are going up. We are not miles ahead in this league, we’re just one of many sides in the promotion mix.

“The first 11 games of the season have told us we need to bolster the spine of the team. We need a proven centre-back, another number 10 and we could definitely do with a striker to help Patrick Bamford and Eddie Nketiah.

“We need competition for places and strength in depth to push for promotion.”

Leeds adopted a cautious approach to the summer transfer market.

All the senior arrivals were on loan, with Jack Harrison, Ben White, Helder Costa, Eddie Nketiah, Jack Clarke and Ilan Meslier signing initally just for the season.

In other Leeds United news, it can be REVEALED that scouts of European giants have been ‘BLOWN AWAY’ by Elland Road player.