Yorkshire Post 14/7/07
Healy's exit signals mass exodus at Leeds
By Ian Appleyard
KEN BATES opened the doors to the Leeds United summer sales last night – allowing striker David Healy to join Fulham and Robbie Blake to sign for Burnley.
The departure of Northern Ireland international Healy, for a fee in the region of £4m, and former Bradford City striker Blake, for £250,000, will soon be followed by the exit of striker Richard Cresswell, a £2m target for his former club Sheffield Wednesday, and youngster Danny Rose to Tottenham Hotspur. Scunthorpe United will also look to sign striker Jermaine Beckford.Former captain Kevin Nicholls, who was frozen out last season by manager Dennis Wise, has already gone to Preston North End.Transfers out of Elland Road have been alarmingly slow during the saga surrounding ownership of the club.Yet as soon as administrators KPMG approved Bates's controversial buy back deal on Wednesday, any such block appeared to be lifted and now money from sales is now going directly into the club's coffers again.The departures of Healy, Blake, Cresswell, Rose, Beckford and Nicholls could inject over £8m into the club's empty purse, but that will still make no difference to the amounts that creditors receive under the terms of Bates's rescue package.Bates has yet to disclose the full extent of his offer, which is still being challenged in the High Court by the Inland Revenue, but it is believed to be 13p in the pound.It is also understood that the Football League will not approve the return of the club's share in their competition until the club has resolved their legal battle with the taxman, due next in court on September 3.However, as reported yesterday, there will be no block on Leeds starting the new season in administration or signing new players if they fall below the required minimum of 20 professionals on the books.Prior to yesterday's transfer activity, Leeds had only 17 professionals registered for next
season.Manager Wise, however, is looking to offer new deals to Tore Andre Flo, Matt Heath, Alan Thompson, and Rui Marques who all played last season but are currently out of contract.They were all named in the squad for last night's friendly at York City along with trialists Curtis Weston, David Prutton and Leon Constantine.Healy has signed a four-year deal with Fulham and will be reunited with his former international manager Lawrie Sanchez."Obviously I know Lawrie well and through his time as manager of Northern Ireland he has given me a lot of support, so I'm really looking forward to playing under him in the Premiership," said Healy. "It was a disappointing end to my time at Leeds with the club being relegated and I wish them well for the future."Healy, who originally cost £750,000 from Preston North End in October 2004, scored 31 goals in 121 appearances for Leeds.

Mirror 14/7/07
ROSE TO BLOOM IN SPURS SWITCH
By Alan Nixon 14/07/2007
TALENT-SPOTTING Tottenham are signing Leeds whiz-kid Danny Rose in a shock £1million deal - to give Ken Bates a surprise financial boost.
Rose, just turned 17, is ready to sign for Spurs this weekend after telling Leeds he is quitting his scholarship and leaving to settle a fee with the Premiership club.
Tottenham expect to beat Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool to sign the star of England's youth sides in the next 48 hours.
Highly-rated Rose is the latest top Leeds discovery to head out during their years of financial despair - and his move comes a year after he snubbed a controversial switch to Chelsea.
The Doncaster-born starlet was happy to stay at Leeds while youth side teammates Matthew Woods and Tommy Taiwo headed for Stamford Bridge where they were later valued at a combined £5m. The teenager felt he would get lost in Jose Mourinho's huge squad and he is still reluctant to join the Blues despite their renewed interest.
Tottenham hope their good relationship with Leeds will help to smooth the deal through.
Chairman Daniel Levy has already exploited the Yorkshire club's recent troubles to buy Aaron Lennon, Paul Robinson and Robbie Keane.
Now Rose will join that Leeds old boy reunion at White Hart Lane and is tipped to be involved in the first-team squad straight away because of his precocious talent.
Rose can play wide or in attack, with his energy and enthusiasm making up for his size.
He made his debut for Leeds in the League Cup last season and was a regular in the reserves.

Popular posts from this blog

Leeds United handed boost as ‘genuinely class’ star confirms his commitment to the club - YEP 4/8/23

Leeds United in ‘final stages’ of £10m deal for Premier League defender as Jack Harrison exit looms - YEP 13/8/23

Wilfried Gnonto latest as talks ongoing between Everton and Leeds despite £38m+ claims - Goodison News 1/9/23