Leeds United are now sponsored by the energy drink manufacturer Red Bull, who also own a stake in the club.
It is a controversial move by the current owners, so BBC Radio Leeds' Jonny Buchan and Adam Pope have discussed it with Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix on the latest episode of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet.
Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville has emerged as a £30m transfer target for Liverpool. (Mirror), external
Leeds United announced a new multi-year agreement with Red Bull last week, in a sponsorship deal that will also see the energy drink manufacturer take a minority stake in the club.
BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope has been discussing the move on the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast: "You have this huge soft drinks company, which has got a history in sport, now buying their first slice of English football and they have gone for Leeds United.
"What we know about Red Bull is that they are brilliant at branding themselves - that is when the alarm bells started ringing and questions started to be asked.
"It isn't going to be 'Red Bull Leeds United'? As far as we know, the legacy logo isn't going to be touched at this stage."
Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix added: "The shirt sponsor helps with Financial Fair Play because that is proper money, whereas buying shares doesn't help. I don't know if the club are trying to be clever and maybe Red Bull are getting more shares than we think.
"Are the club trying to tread the line, or get as close to the line as possible, with how much money they can get in and spend on players?
"It has been a weird time. I think all football fans react badly to everything, such as badges or team names getting changed. I think people can react badly instantly to things that are OK.
"I don't think anyone can say this Red Bull deal is a brilliant thing, because you look at all of the history and all of the clubs they have taken over or started. It is definitely 'business' and they are definitely trying to make Red Bull look as good as humanly possible.
"But I don't think you can say that it is 100% bad at this stage - especially if it gives us money and gets us into the Premier League or something.
"We haven't done well out of their scouting system, but it is well regarded. Jurgen Klopp was only saying the other day that he found the Red Bull model interesting, so I don't think you can say it is 100% bad."
Crystal Palace will move for 22-year-old Leeds United and Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville, if they have to sell Michael Olise or Eberechi Eze this summer. (Mirror), external
Image source, Getty ImagesLeeds have announced they will face La Liga side Valencia in a pre-season friendly at Elland Road.
The six-time Spanish champions will travel to West Yorkshire on Saturday 3 August, with kick-off at 15:00 GMT.
Ruben Baraja’s side finished ninth in La Liga last season, just missing out on European qualification.
The teams have previously met in the 2000-01 Champions League semi-finals, as well as in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in both 1966 and 1967.
We asked for your thoughts after Leeds announced Red Bull as their new front of shirt partner in a deal which will also see the company take a minority stake in the club.
Here are some of your responses:
Trader88: Without knowing too many details, it appears a positive move for the club. RB are a global name and have an interest in developing their sporting connections. Hopefully this will give us the much needed capital to invest in the squad and facilities for many seasons ahead.
Peter: Caught between the SF49ers and Red Bull? The joy of modern football.
Adam: Honestly, I think this is a concerning development. I want nothing to do with Red Bull. I hate multi-club models and franchising football can get straight in the bin. If you think this is just a minority investment and won't become something bigger, I have a bridge to sell.
Isaac: Honestly don’t see how this could be a bad thing. They’ve confirmed no name or branding changes so at that point all we’ve done is acquired an improved sponsorship deal and owners with a track record of success within football.
Ed: Pleased with the financial benefits, though a certain amount of trepidation regarding the future and a potential slow takeover eventually rebranding the club.
Chags: I have been a Leeds fan for over 25 years and the fact that Red Bull are going to invest in my club I think is excellent! They are one of the world's leading brands in sport and the fact they have chosen to invest in us makes me very proud. They will only have the top level of football in mind!
Jake: Biggest sponsorship deal in EFL history. No problem with cash flow anymore. Can let go of key players but can also recruit heavily in summer and smash the Championship.
Joseph: The new deal is an exciting investment that will hopefully be used wisely for us to plan for next season’s promotion push given the success they have had with Leipzig and Salzburg. I’m more interested to see what the kits are going to look like with that sponsor - and please don’t change the name of our stadium. It should always be Elland Road.
Earlier on Thursday, Red Bull announced they had acquired a minority stake in Leeds United.
As part of the deal, they said the Whites' name and logo will remain unchanged, unlike other clubs in their portfolio such as RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg.
But how are you feeling about the move, Whites fans?
Is it an exciting development or do you have concerns?
On the latest episode of the My Mate's A Footballer podcast, Leeds striker Patrick Bamford discusses former team-mate Stuart Dallas' battle with injury, which forced him to retire from the game last month:
"It's really sad that he had to retire because of it. Throughout this season, there was multiples times where I saw him running on the grass, and he'd be struggling and have to come back in.
"He had to have multiple operations and procedures. It wasn't a normal run - it was a struggle. It was a limp. You weren't just thinking about his football - you were thinking about stuff after football as well.
"That he's got back to doing things normally now was still nice to see. You don't want anyone to have to retire through injury but you definitely don't want them to miss out on things later in life because of [the injuries].
"You try everything you can to get back and I've seen how he works really hard. I know that everyone in the physio department did everything they could to get him back. There gets to a point where it takes a toll on you mentally and you have to look at it sensibly and come to terms with it."
Image source, Getty ImagesLeeds United have announced Red Bull as their new front of shirt partner in a deal which will also see the company take a minority stake in the club.
The club said the new multi-year agreement will "bring in new commercial revenues as well as additional capital investment".
The partnership will come into affect at the start of the 2024-25 season, with the club stating that the minority stake will "further enable the club to compete on and off the pitch" as they seek promotion from the Championship.
Leeds Chairman Paraag Marathe said: “As Chairman, our consortium of investment partners will be invaluable to me as we approach this important moment for the club, now and into the future. Red Bull’s addition is a historic milestone that will further empower the club to reach its full competitive potential.”
Leeds missed out on promotion back up to the Premier League after Sunday's 1-0 play-off final defeat to Southampton.
In the latest Football Daily 72+, Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff are joined by the new Barnsley boss Darrell Clarke as they try and agree on their EFL team of the season.
But, with plenty of choice, who will make the team's starting XI? And who will be managing them?
Image source, Getty ImagesLeeds United chairman Paraag Marathe says there are going to have to be "trade-offs" this summer in the transfer window.
The Whites narrowly missed out on promotion back to the Premier League after a 1-0 defeat by Southampton in the Championship play-off final on Sunday.
But attention at the top of the club will now turn to the transfer window as they look to push again next season.
"I can't talk on specific players right now," Marathe told BBC Radio Leeds when asked about the future of Archie Gray.
"But if I can paint the big picture for you, there are certain things that we need to do and we will make sure we are fully compliant with profit and sustainability, as we always have been, and there are certain trade-offs that we have to make.
"We'll have to think about if the chemistry of the squad is right - which players fit us, what we're trying to be and what we want to look like - versus which players don't fit.
"We have to sit down as a leadership team with Daniel [Farke] to figure out which ones and how we manage all that. So that will be taken into account as well as some of the profit and sustainability complications we have.
"I'm really excited with what we could do. I'm excited about the fact we have a full off-season - an extra five weeks to start planning our player squad strategy."
Listen to the full 21-minute interview on BBC Sounds
Adonis Storr
Fan writer
Season Rating: 8/10
Despite the season ending on a low, 90 points and club records broken – in the context of the chaos of last summer – has to be considered an outstanding effort.
Manager Assessment
In the aftermath of the play-off final loss, there has been disgruntlement among some Leeds fans over Daniel Farke. But the German has surely done more than enough to deserve another go. He steadied the ship, galvanised the squad, broke records and missed out by fine margins. And with another busy summer ahead, Farke staying will also provide some necessary stability.
Unsung hero
While most of the talk, focus and admiration of fans and media has been on Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray, Dan James went largely unsung. The Welshman had 20 goal involvements from 28 starts this season. And he left Wembley in massive credit with fans – a huge gash across his forehead, inches away from a spectacular goal – and chasing every lost cause in defence and attack.
Player you'd most like to sign
Joe Rodon should be top of the shopping list. Liam Cooper looks to have played his last game at Elland Road and Leeds benefited from Ethan Ampadu in midfield. Rodon paired well with Pascal Struijk and Ampadu, and was brilliant all season – the best loan since Benjamin White. We need a centre-back and he has proven his worth.
Best Away Fans
Plymouth Argyle fans impressed with their vocal away support. Having played Argyle four times this season, Leeds fans know the journey is long, but they turned up each time, vocal and in numbers.
Adonis Storr can be found at The Roaring Peacock, external
Does manager Daniel Farke have enough of a "plan B" in fixtures?
BBC Radio Leeds' Jonny Buchan pondered the question on the latest episode of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet, which landed in the charts 24 hours after the Whites missed out on promotion at Wembley.
Considering the point, Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix said: "With Bielsa there were clear patterns of play that you could spot, things that Bielsa worked on saying 'if you do this 10 times one time you'll score'. It was training players that maybe weren't the best on how to make decisions that will get us goals.
"This year has been more about trying not to concede any goals and one of those players trying to do something magic."
Leeds United reporter Adam Pope said: "I would imagine Farke would argue against that. If you are going to criticise, there has been a late introduction of substitutes. I think we expected something nearer half time. I still think he has done a remarkable job. I probably felt it would be two years to judge him on. Come September I thought Leeds would be second and then I thought they'd win the play-off final. I think he can be reasonably happy with what he has achieved."
Listen to Don't Go To Bed Just Yet here
New York Times football correspondent Rory Smith has been discussing the competitiveness of the Championship next season after Leeds missed out on Promotion on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club:
"Leeds will expect to lose [Crysencio] Summerville, [Wilfried] Gnonto. They'll do all they can to hold on to Archie Grey, but that might be quite tricky. Even Georginio Rutter possibly might go.
"The saving grace is that the three teams that are coming down don't look like they'll necessarily be perfectly placed to go straight back up.
"It feels like it might be a little bit more of a traditional Championship next season and that would would play into the hands of Leeds.
"But it feels like an opportunity missed because they had the individual talent on the pitch that you felt might be decisive."
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Leeds United are feeling some pain. If the play-offs are 'the best way to get promoted' for many, defeat in the final is perhaps 'the worst way' to end your season.
Through the pain, is there more manager Daniel Farke could have done in the club's promotion push?
The team on Don't Go To Bed Just Yet are upbeat on the manager, stating he has done "very well" and is "not a bluffer".
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Wycombe Wanderers and QPR manager Gareth Ainsworth says Leeds boss Daniel Farke "has got to pick his team and the fans up" ready to challenge again in August.
Reflecting on the Whites' play-off final defeat to Southampton, Ainsworth told BBC Radio 5 Live's 72+ podcast: "It is about 330 days of work that has all gone in a heartbeat.
"Farke has now got to pick his team up. They have had a fantastic season but the worry is whether they will be able to keep hold of some of their superstars.
"He has got to get his troops together and most importantly his fans and the city of Leeds together to go again.
"It is a tough way to lose at Wembley on the final day. It is horrible."
