In July 2020, Leeds United secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years.
On their return to the topflight, the Whites invested in excess of €100m to bolster their squad. One of the new faces to arrive at Elland Road in the summer of 2020 was Rodrigo Moreno.
Leeds United took the Spaniard from Valencia for a club-record fee of €30m. It has now been found out Los Ches could have earned more than double, had they decided to sell him before 2020.
Superdeporte have published a leaked audio of Valencia president Anil Murthy, in which he details how the 31-year-old was wanted by Atlético Madrid and Barcelona.
“I went to Barcelona to sell Rodrigo Moreno. Atlético wanted to buy him first and then Barcelona, for €63m,” Murthy was quoted as saying by Superdeporte.
“Rodrigo’s father wanted to collect €2m in commissions. I go with Ramón Planes, Óscar Grau, Abidal, former CEO, and they tell me: ‘well, we can buy for 63 without problem, we are going to pay the €2m to Rodrigo’s father this year and 63 for us.’
“This year only €30m for Fair Play (FFP constraints), and we do the rest the following year and that’s it.”
The outlet then mentions Rodrigo went to Leeds United and ‘one of the transfer conditions was related to a possible relegation of the English team’.
They further add that if the Whites drop down from the Premier League, then ‘Valencia would thus receive less money for the final transfer’.
Jesse Marsch’s side are in 17th spot, with 35 points from 37 matches, one point ahead of 18th placed Burnley who have a game in hand.
