Leeds United remain hopeful that they can sign Charles De Ketelaere despite AC Milan’s insistence that they are closing in on a deal. The Whites reportedly tabled a €40million bid weeks ago and are now waiting in the hope that the Italian giants cannot match it, while Paolo Maldini’s numerous trips to Belgium are yet to finalise anything.
The Milan sporting director has exuded confidence when speaking to the media of his negotiations, but his side are yet to meet Leeds or Club Brugge's valuation of the Belgian amid speculation they may pull the plug. Victor Orta and Leeds have good reason to keep the door ajar for the 21-year-old, having seen Newcastle United price out the Serie A champions in their battle for Dutch centre-back Sven Botman.
The Magpies’ new-found wealth from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia provided a relatively simple reason as to why a mid-table Premier League club can beat Milan to a deal, but Leeds do not have that external wealth. So how come they can price out Serie A winners and Champions League hopefuls Milan, despite avoiding relegation on the final day of last season?
READ MORE: AC Milan make significant move for Leeds United target Charles de Ketelaere
The simple answer is that the television revenue for Premier League sides dwarfs that of any other European league. In February of this year, a rise in overseas broadcast revenue for the English top-flight helped total income for all sides surpass £10billion for the first time.
Leeds’ popularity with broadcasters bumped up their income so it was slightly more than their league position average, but the Whites brought in £116million, compared to AC Milan’s £66.3million. Even when you factor in Milan’s income generated from the Champions League, they still brought in £96 million - £20million less than the 17th-placed Whites.
Even Norwich, who finished bottom with five wins and 22 points, brought in £98million, with revenue for the bottom-placed team expected to surpass £100million next year. TV revenue almost instantly puts all Premier League teams above the rest of the pack, including the Italian champions.
Those figures only strengthen the importance of remaining in the Premier League for Leeds, with this summer’s window looking very different had they been relegated on the final day. Marsch’s side may not be able to offer European football or league titles, but they can still price out even the biggest and best teams from around Europe.
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