Andrea Radrizzani
Radrizzani admits players must be sold this summer. Getty Images

KEY POINTS

  • The Whites chief admits players must leave after club reach "the top of our budget in terms of salaries".
  • Thirty players have joined Leeds' first team or academy since the Italian took over in May 2017.

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani admits players will be offloaded during the summer transfer window after admitting to having maxed-out the club's wage budget.

Thirty players have arrived at Elland Road in the two transfer windows since Radrizzani took over in May 2017, with two thirds of those going straight into the first team.

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In addition, the likes of Ronaldo Vieira, Kalvin Phillips, Gaetano Berardi, Eunan O'Kane and Luke Ayling have all agreed new deals with Leeds in the last 10 months.

Paul Heckingbottom was appointed the club's new manager this week but now arrives with the news that, with Leeds seven points off the play-off positions, he will be forced to cull his squad in his first summer in charge.

"On our side, for Leeds, we've achieved already the top of our budget in terms of salaries," Radrizzani told the Yorkshire Evening Post. "We should actually cut some for next year because we have probably too many players. My idea for the squad is 20 players plus four or six coming from the youth.

"The financial condition of the club did not allow us the possibility to buy top, mature players for the Championship in England because the prices are too high. This year it was necessary for us to have international recruitment.

"There was no other way we could have players with the quality of Samuel Saiz or Gjanni Alioski from the local market. We follow the strategy because we don't have any other choice but from now on we will be far more focused on the domestic market, particularly the young players."

Signs that Leeds' recruitment will be focused more on local players were evident in January, when three of the four arrivals came from clubs in England.

Sam Dalby was acquired from Leyton Orient; Tyler Roberts from West Bromwich Albion while Jordan Stevens was drafted in from Forest Green. The only addition from overseas saw Pascal Struijk signed from Ajax.

Given Leeds' plight outside the Championship top six after a winless run stretching back two months some may have expected further additions to help inspire a late push for promotion, but Radrizzani was content with the business the club conducted.

"He [Roberts] was considered to be one of the best talents in the country," the Italian added. "And he's with us for many years."

"For me, yes. We were in a different situation this year because we overloaded the club, both in the first team and in Under-23s, with a lot of foreigners. Now we will have to select more and see who deserves to stay – build more quality and be more competition."