Leeds United recruitment state of play after Victor Orta exit and likely transfer window start date

Victor Orta's Leeds United exit has left the club facing a decision over their recruitment model, but work on transfers has not ceased entirely.
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Orta departed Elland Road last week almost six years after his arrival from Middlesbrough to become Andrea Radrizzani's director of football. The Spaniard, who led the club's recruitment and football departments, found himself at odds with the board when the decision was made to replace head coach Javi Gracia with Sam Allardyce. Orta's loyalty to Gracia led to an exit that had started to feel inevitable due to supporter opposition to his continued employment.

Fans, furious over Orta's Marcelo Bielsa succession plan and several recruitment decisions, chanted for the director of football's removal at various games this season and Orta felt the need to issue a statement of apology for sarcastically shouting 'sack the board' at West Stand supporters following a win over Bournemouth. He revealed at that stage that he had been the subject of abuse and that his phone number had been made public. Orta told Spanish media recently that he was yearning for an eventual return to Spain for family reasons, but the Gracia situation brought matters swiftly to a head.

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The situation facing the Whites now is that they must decide who they can bring in to replace Orta, in order to rebuild a squad that was designed to play Jesse Marsch's style of football. They could also opt for a new model and structure when it comes to football decisions.

There are some obvious areas of weakness and positions in desperate need of greater quality and depth but the complicating factor, even if Leeds should plump for a like-for-like Orta replacement, is the continuing uncertainty over relegation.

Staying in the Premier League would almost certainly give the green light for a full 49ers Enterprises takeover and make for a relatively simpler summer of recruitment. Leeds could retain a good number of players, while attracting a director of football and a head coach for the next Elland Road project, then strengthen with targets already being assessed or fresh options.

There are transfers that have been tentatively worked on by the recruitment team, which continues to run in the background at Elland Road. Both Gaby Ruiz and Alberto Cordero, who were a big part of Orta's recruitment department, were spotted at the Under 21s' Premier League 2 play-off semi-final earlier this week. The YEP understands the pair will depart the club, however.

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Head of emerging talent Craig Dean and scout Alex Davies, who have worked closely with Orta's team and provided a lot of the data and reports for signings, remain in place and continue to carry out the work of identifying potential future transfers. Leeds could seek outside help to determine whether targets already identified are the right fit, while the club attempts to bring in a director of football.

EARLY EXIT - Leeds United director of football Victor Orta admitted recently he wanted to return to Spain but matters were brought to a head swiftly by the Javi Gracia situation. Pic: GettyEARLY EXIT - Leeds United director of football Victor Orta admitted recently he wanted to return to Spain but matters were brought to a head swiftly by the Javi Gracia situation. Pic: Getty
EARLY EXIT - Leeds United director of football Victor Orta admitted recently he wanted to return to Spain but matters were brought to a head swiftly by the Javi Gracia situation. Pic: Getty

The summer transfer window's start date has not been announced but it could open on June 9 and by that stage Leeds will hope to be in a position to get the new project well and truly off the ground. In the meantime Allardyce is essentially running the show, with the full backing of the board and club staff, because all that matters in the present is guiding the club's current crop of players to Premier League safety. Three games - against Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur - remain and the Whites sit in the drop zone, two points from safety.

Should they suffer relegation then a summer talent exodus would be expected, necessitating in turn a proportionate response in terms of in-coming signings. The club consider themselves to be in solid financial shape thanks to the high-value saleable assets in the squad, commercial revenue that would outstrip their second-tier rivals, significant wage reductions built into first team contracts and parachute payments.

What an exit through the Premier League trapdoor also signifies, however, is greater uncertainty over the club's ownership and the 49ers' takeover plans. That is due, in part, to the difference between the sum Radrizzani could obtain for his majority shareholding for a Premier League outfit and one in the Championship. An agreement was reached between the two parties over an option for a full takeover by January 2024 but that was based on Premier League status and its subsequent price tag.