Leeds United: Former United chief executive Mansford joins Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv

Former Leeds United chief executive Ben Mansford is set to be appointed as the new CEO of Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Ben Mansford.Ben Mansford.
Ben Mansford.

Mansford has agreed to join the Israeli club less than a fortnight after leaving his post at Elland Road.

The ex-Barnsley chief executive left Leeds as part of the management changes instigated by new United owner Andrea Radrizzani.

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Mansford’s exit was agreed during Radrizzani’s buy-out of Massimo Cellino, allowing Angus Kinnear to arrive from West Ham United as Leeds’ new managing director.

Kinnear has been an associate of Radrizzani’s for several years and he was lined up to move to Yorkshire prior to the completion of the Italian’s takeover.

Cellino had been responsible for appointing Mansford last June, recruiting him from Barnsley on the back of the South Yorkshire club’s promotion from League One.

Mansford helped to facilitate the sale of the club to Radrizzani, a deal which ended fellow Italian Cellino’s three-year reign as owner of the Elland Road club.

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He parted company with Leeds on May 31 but travelled to Israel last week to hold talks with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

He is expected to start work there later this month, taking up a post which was previously held by Sunderland chief executive Martin Bain.

Maccabi are Israel’s most successful club, having claimed 22 championships, but they have failed to win the title in the past two seasons and finished second in the table at the end of the 2016-17 campaign.