Here are your Leeds morning headlines for Saturday 25 April.
Doubts emerge over renaming stadium
Former Leeds defender Alex Bruce has warned the club’s ownership over renaming Elland Road.
Amazon are reportedly in talks with Tottenham about potentially purchasing the naming rights to their new stadium in a £250m deal.
There has also been speculation that Leeds could sell the rights to Elland Road, but Bruce thinks that would be a mistake.
“Well, obviously the history of the club, I can understand why it would p*** the supporters off,” he told Football Insider.
“There was a lot of talk about St James’ Park when it was renamed and to rename a big, historic stadium like Elland Road or a Highbury or a White Hart Lane – one of the old school (stadiums), these kind of clubs that have got real historic names – I can understand why it would raise a few eyebrows, that’s for sure.
“I don’t believe in that but you’ve got to respect the Financial Fair Play rulings now and if you can create an extra few quid for the benefit of the club, that obviously results in being able to buy players and improve the club as a whole, under the parameters of FFP, clubs need to explore every avenue.
“If you need to rename things, you need to be careful of what you rename and how you go about it but I can understand why chairmen and owners do it.”
Whelan wants Casilla sale
Noel Whelan believes Leeds should sell Kiko Casilla this summer.
The former Real Madrid goalkeeper has helped Marcelo Bielsa’s side post the defensive record in the Championship this season.
However, he has also made costly errors at times and is currently serving an eight-game ban after being found guilty of using racist language towards Jonathan Leko.
And former Leeds striker Whelan believes the club should move Casilla on this summer, particularly given the promise shown by Illan Meslier this season.
“I think if anyone’s going to be leaving, and I think the fans will probably second me on this, it will be Casilla," Whelan told Football Insider.
“I think they’ll always look back on his performances and some of the mistakes that have been made. There’s no doubt he’s a very talented goalkeeper but I think the incident with the racism and the punishment he’s got for that has really tarnished his reputation now.
“The club, if they’re going to stand by kicking racism out of football and be a proper ambassador for that, it’s making it very, very difficult for a club like Leeds United to keep that player on.
“They said they’ve stuck by him but that’s until now. Meslier’s still got a big part to play this season and that could sway the decision of the club and the manager either way.”
Seaman says Premier League has missed Leeds
Former Leeds trainee David Seaman believes the Premier League has missed Leeds United’s support in their 16-year absence from the top flight.
Leeds were relegated from the Premier League in 2004 and have not returned to the top division since then.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side are currently top of the Championship and are on course to seal promotion when the season resumes.
And Seaman believes the Premier League will benefit from the return of Leeds fans.
“The Premier League has missed Leeds massively, because of the support," he told LeedsLive.
"I never forget when I was there as an apprentice. Matchday was just absolutely massive for the city. All the phone-ins in the mornings, it probably still does on there now, but when we were in the Premier League, or the top division then, it was just huge.
“We'd go away and play our games as apprentices and then on the way back we'd be in the minibus getting back to the ground to get back and do our jobs and that. It was just so special listening to it on the radio.
"It's something that Leeds miss. They miss being in the big time and I think once they get back there, I think they can really kick on there because everybody knows they've got the support.
"They've got mega support and it's just something that I want to happen. I just don't want this virus to get in the way."
