Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani jets to Paris for takeover talks with moneybags PSG and Qatar Sports Investment president
LEEDS owner Andrea Radrizzani jetted to France for takeover talks with moneybags Paris Saint-Germain and Qatar Sports Investment president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on Wednesday night.
Radrizzani recently revealed he is considering an offer from QSI - and has taken that a step further by meeting in the French capital.
The Leeds chief attended PSG's Champions League clash with Club Brugge - 1-0 win for the hosts - as a guest of Al-Khelaifi.
The pair are friends after they worked together when the Italian sold football TV rights for his marketing agency MP & Silva.
Radrizzani is hoping he can negotiate a deal which would see the Championship side be able to "compete with Manchester City", say .
However, the report added a deal - thought to be around £60million - will only be put in place "when the time is right".
QSI are said to be looking at Leeds as their next long-term project, which could mean they only take on a minority share in the immediate future.
One potential stumbling block to the takeover stems from the success Leeds could have with the right backing.
Uefa rules prevent teams with the same owner meeting in its competitions - the Champions League or Europa League.
While it's unlikely Leeds would break into Europe for some time, Man City's rapid ascent after being taken over by Sheikh Mansour in 2008 proves they must prepare for all eventualities.
While Al-Khelaifi would be the most-glamorous option for Leeds at present, Radrizzani is said to be considering two other options.
One is the owner of an unnamed Italian club, while another is a mega-rich Leeds fan from the USA.
Last month, Radrizzani revealed: "I have been approached by more than 20 parties and I have selected these three.
"The option of Qatar Sports Investments and Nasser - first of all they are friends, we have had a good relationship for a long time.
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"Secondly, they have the possibility to bring this club to compete with Manchester City, so for the fans that could be a fantastic opportunity.
"The second is based in America, he's a big fan of Leeds United since he was a child, and I like that. Another one is the owner of an Italian club.
"With another club you can create synergy to be more competitive and to target the Premier League - we could maybe get a loan to increase the quality of the team."