While Richmond did not comment on specific players, he insisted any transfers in or out of the club will all be geared to the target of promotion next season.

He told Sky Sports News: “Offers have been coming in from the very top, top clubs.

“But we’ve got to wait for the season to finish and have a look at what we’ve got and alter the playing squad to give us the best opportunity.

“We have got five England Under-21s internationals at this football club and with seven or eight signings we’ll be a very significant force.”

Richmond also sought to reassure Leeds’ beleaguered fans that the future is not so bleak as many might fear.

“Of course, we have to sell footballers. But we are fine – we have a plan,” he said.

“Next season we will have a team that will match the passion of our supporters. That is what is important. We will be able to compete and will be able to do so at the very highest level.”

Richmond is similarly adamant that under no circumstances will the club slip back into administration.

He said: “We as a football club are not going back into administration.

“That is absolutely categoric. Our board has a chairman [Gerald Krasner] who is a very well known and highly reputable solvency expert, and we are not going back into administration.”