Leeds United chief on loanees situation and 'radical' restructure if football remains behind closed doors long term

Club owner Andrea Radrizzani recently revealed it would cost the Whites around £2.5m in revenue from the five home games they have been unable to play during the coronavirus lockdown.

But as football in this country explores the possibility of returning to action, without fans in the stadium, Kinnear told Sky Sports' The Football Show that the longer the sport were to continue without supporters, the more serious the consequences.

He is, however, confident that Leeds can 'weather' the financial storm in the short term.

"It would be a very serious situation," said the chief executive.

"Like a lot of business are experiencing at the minute, to have all your revenue streams dry up over night, the football financing market, certainly for Championship clubs, also died overnight as well so we don't have recourse there.

"We are well funded, we have a generous owner who is very committed to the club and we can weather the short term. But if behind closed doors was to persist into the long term it really brings some significant challenges and requires us to restructure the business model in some radical ways.

"I'm confident Leeds United could survive if it was eight or nine months, I think it would be challenging. It's about how the business model would have to adapt. The biggest challenge is around player wages, that's the primary cost for all clubs in the championship and that's what we would have to manage.

"We have some very co-operative players who believe in the club and our long term future. We'd need to work with them if this situation persisted. We have real hope that as the tide starts to turn, that if we all work together then a return to football is still a possibility. "

If matches are played behind closed doors to conclude this season, one concern for supporters of clubs like Leeds United, who have used the loan market successfully this season and brought in players like Ben White who have contributed significantly, is whether or not the loanees would remain or return to their parent club at the conclusion of their temporary deals.

Leeds also have players on loan from clubs in France and Germany.

Kinnear is buoyed by the togetherness displayed by clubs and a willingness to find answers to such problems.

"What I have been really encouraged by is the collegiate way that all of football is trying to work to work together to solve these issues," he said.

“We have already had discussions with players we have on loan and their clubs, and we have had discussions with the EFL and with UEFA because we have some international loans, and some situations we have to resolve.

“We think there is a collective intent to find solutions, and I don’t think it is beyond the wit of man that if we work together, we can find those solutions to complete the season, even if it goes beyond June 30th.”