Yorkshire Evening Post 4/1/08
Argentina defender ready to join Leeds
By Richard Sutcliffe
ExclusiveLEEDS UNITED are in talks over a proposed partnership with top Argentinian club San Lorenzo, the Yorkshire Post can reveal.
Under the plans, a host of star names will make their way to Elland Road with discussions understood to be at such an advanced stage that Argentinian international Jonathan Bottinelli is due to fly in next week.
The highly-rated defender will be joined at Thorp Arch by San Lorenzo team-mate, Under-20 international Nicolas Bianchi, and both will be assessed by manager Dennis Wise.
The Yorkshire Post understands the duo's arrival could be the first of many as Leeds and the Argentinian Premier League side, whose 2008 season does not start until February 10, look to forge a link-up that will be mutually beneficial.
San Lorenzo have long been established as one of the top clubs in Argentina and were last year crowned champions of Torneo Clausara, the first of the two 19-game tournaments played each year in the top division.The Clausura stretches from February to June and San Lorenzo finished six points clear of second-placed Boca Juniors to be crowned champions. The period August to December is covered by Torneo Apertura, San Lorenzo suffering a dip in form to finish ninth.
Over the full season, however, the club collected the third highest tally of points behind Apertura champions Estudiantes de La Plata and Boca Juniors.Despite the slump from August onwards, the Buenos Aires based club still qualified for the 2008 Copa Libertadores – the south American equivalent of the Champions League.As part of the link-up, both Bottinelli and Bianchi are due to arrive in England next week to join the United squad and the duo arrive with an excellent pedigree.
Bottinelli, 23, made his full international debut in Argentina's goalless draw with Chile last April and can play at either left-back or in the centre of defence. Last season, he made 29 appearances for San Lorenzo and scored four goals.
Bianchi, meanwhile, will celebrate his 21st birthday later this month and is an Under-20 international. The central defender made 14 appearances during 2007.
If Bianchi or Bottinelli impress sufficiently – and providing the two clubs can come to some sort of agreement over the partnership – then Leeds will look to sign the duo, subject to work permits. The impending arrival of the two Argentinians adds a further intriguing element to a transfer window that Wise admits has arrived "at the right time".
The Elland Road club are suffering their first genuine blip of the season with back-to-back defeats to Swansea City and Oldham Athletic having seen United lose ground on the League One leaders.
Wise has responded by stepping up his search for new faces with the Yorkshire Post understanding Luton Town's Dean Morgan could arrive as early as during the next 24 hours after a bid was lodged with the administrators of the struggling Bedfordshire club.
The United chief has also admitted his interest in Barnet's 10-goal attacker Jason Puncheon, and a £250,000 bid for left-back Daniel Fox was turned down by Walsall last month.
Wise said: "I am hoping by the morning that something will have moved on. We have put offers in for some players and we are hoping we can get them.
"I am looking at a few places, five or six. The transfer window has come along at the right time. Signings give everyone a lift. The players may be becoming slightly complacent by thinking 'he is injured, so I will get a game'.
"Lubo Michalik (the Bolton defender who was on loan at Leeds last season) is someone I am still interested in but I am having to wait patiently for that one. Puncheon and Morgan are others I am interested in. I know Dean very well."
Wise believes the arrival of new faces to add to Sebastian Sorza, the Finnish winger who signed on a free this week, will act as a major fillip to a squad that is under-performing.
He added: "They need a kick up the backside. We are going to go back to basics. We are going to bore the pants off the players (in training). They won't like it, but too bad. When you put a performance in like that, then you go back to basics.
"What I won't forget is these players got us in this position. But the pressure now is a different kind of pressure and they have to cope with it. At the moment, they are not doing."
Sky 3/1/08
Leeds snap up Kilkenny
Wise's January shopping spree continues
By James Pearson
Leeds United have made the surprise capture of Birmingham City midfielder Neil Kilkenny on loan with a view to a permanent transfer.
Kilkenny spent the first half of the League One season with Oldham and he even starred in The Latics' impressive New Year's day win at Elland Road.
Oldham had offered the 22-year-old a permanent stay at Boundary Park while Doncaster were also interested, but now Leeds have landed his services.
Leeds have signed Kilkenny on an emergency loan meaning he may feature in Saturday's clash with Northampton, before pushing through a permanent deal early next week.
Kilkenny, who began his at Arsenal before joining Birmingham, was born in England but committed his future to Australia after growing up in Brisbane.
The Australia international becomes Leeds' second signing in January behind Sebastian Sorsa, while he could swiftly be joined by Northampton's Bradley Johnson.
Yorkshire Post 3/1/08
Leeds's players must show they can finish the job – Bassett
By Richard Sutcliffe
DAVE BASSETT believes Leeds United's dip in form over the festive season will act as a wake-up call to the players.
United's assistant manager admitted to having had concerns over their form in recent weeks with the New Year's Day defeat at home to Oldham Athletic meaning Dennis Wise's side have claimed just five points from as many games.
Wise is hoping to bring in "four or five" new signings during the transfer window with Finnish winger Sebastian Sorsa yesterday having agreed an 18-month deal after joining on a free transfer.
More are tipped to follow with speculation in the Midlands suggesting United had increased the £250,000 bid for Walsall left-back Daniel Fox that was rejected last month.
Barnet attacker Jason Puncheon has also been linked with a £150,000 switch to Elland Road, though the Yorkshire Post understands talk of a loan move for Danny Mills is well wide of the mark.
Bassett believes any new arrivals can only help freshen up a squad whose form has reached a plateau in recent weeks after a scintillating first four months of the season.
The Leeds assistant manager said: "When you look back, we haven't played well in those five games and we had been warning the players that if they weren't careful, a performance like Oldham would happen.
"This is a questionable time for this set of players – to show what they can do.
"That is the big question mark because people will ask 'have Leeds cracked?'
"Our record is good, 52 points from 24 games. No other team has got that sort of figure. No team has done that in the last 10 years. But unfortunately for us, we have the 15-point deficit.
"The players have done fantastic to get here, but they have got to push on now and show us they can finish the job. It may well be that they have worked so damn hard to get there that there are repercussions because they relax and take the foot of the pedal.
"We are not knocking the players, but this is a wake-up call. We have been on their case and realise it needs freshening up, because some will suffer a burnout.
"We are certainly going to bring in four or five players."
The manner of United's performance in the first half against Oldham was a major concern with Wise being so upset he sent the players back out a full five minutes before the restart was due.
There was a slight improvement after the break, with Leon Constantine's goal reducing the deficit, but not enough to suggest Leeds could fight their way right back into the game.
Attention has now turned to Saturday's League One game at home to Northampton Town when Wise will be without Alan Thompson and Matt Heath through suspension.
Bassett said: "The management are very disappointed and Dennis was very angry after the game. The players could not complain; if you play like that then you will lose more than you will win.
"The goals we conceded were poor, our attacking play was poor and we had no creativity. We looked very static and mentally tired.
"There were too many players who went missing and were lacking in confidence. When they were on the ball, they treated it like a hot potato."
Wise will, at least, have one new face at his disposal following the capture of Sorsa on a free transfer from HJK Helsinki.
The 23-year-old spent time on trial at Thorp Arch last year and impressed sufficiently to be offered an 18-month contract.
Bassett added: "Sorsa is a young lad who plays as a wide player, usually on the right. He has good pace."
Argentina defender ready to join Leeds
By Richard Sutcliffe
ExclusiveLEEDS UNITED are in talks over a proposed partnership with top Argentinian club San Lorenzo, the Yorkshire Post can reveal.
Under the plans, a host of star names will make their way to Elland Road with discussions understood to be at such an advanced stage that Argentinian international Jonathan Bottinelli is due to fly in next week.
The highly-rated defender will be joined at Thorp Arch by San Lorenzo team-mate, Under-20 international Nicolas Bianchi, and both will be assessed by manager Dennis Wise.
The Yorkshire Post understands the duo's arrival could be the first of many as Leeds and the Argentinian Premier League side, whose 2008 season does not start until February 10, look to forge a link-up that will be mutually beneficial.
San Lorenzo have long been established as one of the top clubs in Argentina and were last year crowned champions of Torneo Clausara, the first of the two 19-game tournaments played each year in the top division.The Clausura stretches from February to June and San Lorenzo finished six points clear of second-placed Boca Juniors to be crowned champions. The period August to December is covered by Torneo Apertura, San Lorenzo suffering a dip in form to finish ninth.
Over the full season, however, the club collected the third highest tally of points behind Apertura champions Estudiantes de La Plata and Boca Juniors.Despite the slump from August onwards, the Buenos Aires based club still qualified for the 2008 Copa Libertadores – the south American equivalent of the Champions League.As part of the link-up, both Bottinelli and Bianchi are due to arrive in England next week to join the United squad and the duo arrive with an excellent pedigree.
Bottinelli, 23, made his full international debut in Argentina's goalless draw with Chile last April and can play at either left-back or in the centre of defence. Last season, he made 29 appearances for San Lorenzo and scored four goals.
Bianchi, meanwhile, will celebrate his 21st birthday later this month and is an Under-20 international. The central defender made 14 appearances during 2007.
If Bianchi or Bottinelli impress sufficiently – and providing the two clubs can come to some sort of agreement over the partnership – then Leeds will look to sign the duo, subject to work permits. The impending arrival of the two Argentinians adds a further intriguing element to a transfer window that Wise admits has arrived "at the right time".
The Elland Road club are suffering their first genuine blip of the season with back-to-back defeats to Swansea City and Oldham Athletic having seen United lose ground on the League One leaders.
Wise has responded by stepping up his search for new faces with the Yorkshire Post understanding Luton Town's Dean Morgan could arrive as early as during the next 24 hours after a bid was lodged with the administrators of the struggling Bedfordshire club.
The United chief has also admitted his interest in Barnet's 10-goal attacker Jason Puncheon, and a £250,000 bid for left-back Daniel Fox was turned down by Walsall last month.
Wise said: "I am hoping by the morning that something will have moved on. We have put offers in for some players and we are hoping we can get them.
"I am looking at a few places, five or six. The transfer window has come along at the right time. Signings give everyone a lift. The players may be becoming slightly complacent by thinking 'he is injured, so I will get a game'.
"Lubo Michalik (the Bolton defender who was on loan at Leeds last season) is someone I am still interested in but I am having to wait patiently for that one. Puncheon and Morgan are others I am interested in. I know Dean very well."
Wise believes the arrival of new faces to add to Sebastian Sorza, the Finnish winger who signed on a free this week, will act as a major fillip to a squad that is under-performing.
He added: "They need a kick up the backside. We are going to go back to basics. We are going to bore the pants off the players (in training). They won't like it, but too bad. When you put a performance in like that, then you go back to basics.
"What I won't forget is these players got us in this position. But the pressure now is a different kind of pressure and they have to cope with it. At the moment, they are not doing."
Sky 3/1/08
Leeds snap up Kilkenny
Wise's January shopping spree continues
By James Pearson
Leeds United have made the surprise capture of Birmingham City midfielder Neil Kilkenny on loan with a view to a permanent transfer.
Kilkenny spent the first half of the League One season with Oldham and he even starred in The Latics' impressive New Year's day win at Elland Road.
Oldham had offered the 22-year-old a permanent stay at Boundary Park while Doncaster were also interested, but now Leeds have landed his services.
Leeds have signed Kilkenny on an emergency loan meaning he may feature in Saturday's clash with Northampton, before pushing through a permanent deal early next week.
Kilkenny, who began his at Arsenal before joining Birmingham, was born in England but committed his future to Australia after growing up in Brisbane.
The Australia international becomes Leeds' second signing in January behind Sebastian Sorsa, while he could swiftly be joined by Northampton's Bradley Johnson.
Yorkshire Post 3/1/08
Leeds's players must show they can finish the job – Bassett
By Richard Sutcliffe
DAVE BASSETT believes Leeds United's dip in form over the festive season will act as a wake-up call to the players.
United's assistant manager admitted to having had concerns over their form in recent weeks with the New Year's Day defeat at home to Oldham Athletic meaning Dennis Wise's side have claimed just five points from as many games.
Wise is hoping to bring in "four or five" new signings during the transfer window with Finnish winger Sebastian Sorsa yesterday having agreed an 18-month deal after joining on a free transfer.
More are tipped to follow with speculation in the Midlands suggesting United had increased the £250,000 bid for Walsall left-back Daniel Fox that was rejected last month.
Barnet attacker Jason Puncheon has also been linked with a £150,000 switch to Elland Road, though the Yorkshire Post understands talk of a loan move for Danny Mills is well wide of the mark.
Bassett believes any new arrivals can only help freshen up a squad whose form has reached a plateau in recent weeks after a scintillating first four months of the season.
The Leeds assistant manager said: "When you look back, we haven't played well in those five games and we had been warning the players that if they weren't careful, a performance like Oldham would happen.
"This is a questionable time for this set of players – to show what they can do.
"That is the big question mark because people will ask 'have Leeds cracked?'
"Our record is good, 52 points from 24 games. No other team has got that sort of figure. No team has done that in the last 10 years. But unfortunately for us, we have the 15-point deficit.
"The players have done fantastic to get here, but they have got to push on now and show us they can finish the job. It may well be that they have worked so damn hard to get there that there are repercussions because they relax and take the foot of the pedal.
"We are not knocking the players, but this is a wake-up call. We have been on their case and realise it needs freshening up, because some will suffer a burnout.
"We are certainly going to bring in four or five players."
The manner of United's performance in the first half against Oldham was a major concern with Wise being so upset he sent the players back out a full five minutes before the restart was due.
There was a slight improvement after the break, with Leon Constantine's goal reducing the deficit, but not enough to suggest Leeds could fight their way right back into the game.
Attention has now turned to Saturday's League One game at home to Northampton Town when Wise will be without Alan Thompson and Matt Heath through suspension.
Bassett said: "The management are very disappointed and Dennis was very angry after the game. The players could not complain; if you play like that then you will lose more than you will win.
"The goals we conceded were poor, our attacking play was poor and we had no creativity. We looked very static and mentally tired.
"There were too many players who went missing and were lacking in confidence. When they were on the ball, they treated it like a hot potato."
Wise will, at least, have one new face at his disposal following the capture of Sorsa on a free transfer from HJK Helsinki.
The 23-year-old spent time on trial at Thorp Arch last year and impressed sufficiently to be offered an 18-month contract.
Bassett added: "Sorsa is a young lad who plays as a wide player, usually on the right. He has good pace."
