Jeff Stelling has told The 49ers Enterprises to “put their hands in their pockets” after Leeds United drew their opening two matches of the new Championship season.
Leeds have also been knocked out of the EFL Cup, being condemned to a 3-0 defeat by Middlesbrough at Elland Road, though he understands that fewer fans are bothered about the competition.
With Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray and Glen Kamara all sold this summer, and Georginio Rutter set to be the next to depart, Stelling has called for the 49ers to invest more into Daniel Farke’s squad.
Speaking live via talkSPORT on Monday (19 August, 6:56am), Stelling said: “I thought the 49ers were putting money into the club. It’s time they put their hands in their pockets. They’ve sold Summerville, Georginio Rutter is on his way out, and Archie Gray is gone.
“There is no question that Leeds are much weaker at the start of this season than they were last season, and they’re getting the results that would suggest that. Farke wants four players? Get on with it.”
Ally McCoist replied: “It will come between now and the end of the window. But I don’t think the results have been disastrous. A draw against the Albion is not a bad result in the grand scheme of things.
The 3-3 draw at home to Portsmouth, absolutely you’d question. But they desperately need bodies in the door.”
49ers to invest in Leeds United squad ahead of 30 August?
As Stelling says, the Whites already look much weaker than the squad that narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League last season, with many exits coming during the summer.
There was no doubt that Leeds would feel the loss of Summerville, but many assumed that the hierarchy at Elland Road would reinvest some of the funds from the sale for a replacement.
While Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto are more than capable of occupying the flanks, Leeds look to be lacking in the position, and that is clear from their opening matches of the 2024/25 season.
Of course, three goals against newly promoted Portsmouth would have been expected, but to draw the game was unacceptable among the fans at Elland Road.
Follow that up with a 3-0 home loss to Boro and a 0-0 draw against West Brom at The Hawthorns, and Leeds are already underperforming, especially compared to last season’s displays.
