Red Bull has denied League Championship side Leeds United Owner Massimo Cellino's claim that it is "bidding to buy" the club, according to Phil Hay of the YORKSHIRE EVENING POST. Red Bull rejected comments made by Cellino in which he said it had "tabled an offer for Leeds with the club's majority shareholder, Eleonora Sport (ESL)." Cellino made the claim on Friday after "initially denying reports that Red Bull was poised to strike" a £60M ($89.7M) deal and "hoped to secure control of Leeds within the next three weeks." Red Bull, which already runs professional clubs in Germany, Austria and the U.S., has been linked with a takeover at Elland Road for "many months," though it previously "denied any interest in acquiring Leeds amid intense speculation last November." Red Bull Head of Global Football Marketing Oliver Mintzlaff said, "Another involvement in football is not planned." Cellino said on Friday, "There is an offer. I didn't know about it but I spoke just now with Giampaolo Caboni, one of the directors of Eleonora Sport. He said Red Bull has made an offer for the club. The shareholders will have to think about it. I don't know what they will do." ESL currently owns more than 97% of shares in Leeds United, with former owner Gulf Finance House "retaining the remaining stake" (YORKSHIRE EVENING POST, 4/5).
