Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman has warned that Leeds United would be one of a number of Championship clubs who would need to do some immediate financial readjustments were they to miss out on promotion.  

Leeds get their Championship campaign back underway by traveling to Cardiff on Sunday, with Marcelo Bielsa's side aiming to pick up where they left of before the season was suspended - and the Whites will be confident of finishing the job and securing automatic promotion given they are currently seven points clear of third placed Fulham.

Given all of the financial uncertainty around clubs up and down the EFL it could be more important than ever that clubs such as Leeds manage to go on and secure a return to the Premier League, with the Whites having invested in their squad in order to get back into the top-flight - and that means missing out promotion would be costly.

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Speaking to the Mirror ahead of the re-start to the campaign, Dalman revealed that there are a number of clubs whose financial situations will be unsustainable if they remain in the Championship, and he suggested that Leeds need to secure promotion to avoid being one of the sides who will need to restructure their club.

He said: "I’m really concerned about the game. Clubs have realised it will not be sustainable in the long term, they are looking at double digit losses, mid-table or fighting against relegation for two or three years.

"Every year losing £10m isn’t very appealing.

"It will be a travesty if Leeds don’t get the opportunity to go up. They’ve deserved it. They’ve made a huge investment, they’re almost there and if we

"But if they don’t go up then they will have some serious financial restructuring to do."

The verdict

This message is one that should be taken seriously not just by Leeds but by clubs up and down the Championship, and it proves to highlight just how big the long-term effects of the current situation could have on a number of clubs who have been investing heavily over the last few years.

It should provide extra motivation to the Whites ahead of the end of season run in, but it could also be that Cardiff's chairman is seeking to put a little added pressure on Leeds ahead of their trip to Cardiff, with the Bluebirds themselves firmly in the battle to secure a top six finish.

These will be very nervy next few weeks for all of the clubs in and around the battle for promotion, with more than ever resting on securing promotion to the Premier League and the extra revenue that would provide - and it will be interesting to see how it affects Leeds and others around them in the table.