Andrea Radrizzani putting £1m into Leeds United on a monthly basis, chief exec reveals Premier League bid to scupper Jean-Kevin Augustin deal

Writing in his progamme notes for tonight's game against Millwall, the chief executive responded to fans questioning the financial commitment and resources of the owner.

"The reality is that Andrea is still writing a cheque for £1m every month to subsidise a wage bill that we have consciously doubled under our tenure," he said.

"Furthermore we are working right on the margins of the league's profit and sustainability rules. Despite all of this, we were able to table three separate [transfer] bids, all of which would have equalled the club's record transfer outlay.

"Kinnear says the club are confident that their January business, chiefly the additions of Manchester City winger Ian Poveda and RB Leipzig forward Jean-Kevin Augustin, will strengthen the squad for the promotion run in.

Manchester United are understood to have made a late enquiry over Augustin and although Kinnear didn't name them in his programme notes, he alluded to a Premier League club's attempt to pinch the Frenchman from under the Whites' noses.

"It was telling of Jean-Kevin's quality that a Premier League club tried to hijack our move for him at the 11th hour," he said.

"That team's board should now probably be questioning their scouting department as to why their recruitment strategy is based on reacting to newspaper reports of whom Leeds might be targeting. It was a testament to Jean-Kevin and his agent's commitment to Leeds United that their heads weren't turned.

"We believe that both Augustin and Poveda have the ability to make an immediate impact to an already strong squad that has put us in a fantastic position but, as importantly, we have signed two players of undoubted Premier League quality. This was a critical part of our recruitment brief."