United are offering Riordan Ell of a move - Yorkshire Evening Post 8/6/08
By Phil Hay
Leeds United are hoping the draw of Elland Road will allow them to pull off the signing of Celtic striker Derek Riordan.
The 25-year-old is on United's list of summer targets and manager Gary McAllister will use the prospect of promotion to the Championship next season to persuade Riordan to step into League One.
Riordan is on the books of Scottish Premier League champions Celtic and has another year to run on his contract, but he is keen to leave the club after a frustrating spell in Glasgow.
The former Hibernian trainee has not played in a competitive fixture since March and made his most recent league start in December.
His appearances have totalled 32 since his transfer from Easter Road in 2006, and the opportunity of a switch to Leeds would be welcomed by Riordan if United decided to make a firm approach.
Celtic held out for a £1m fee as a number of clubs circled over Riordan in January and they are likely to look for a similar sum from interested managers this summer.
Burnley saw a bid of £400,000 rejected in January, but the Championship side are believed to be pursuing Riordan again and will compete with United for the forward's signature. It is likely, however, that Riordan would opt for a move to Leeds over a transfer to Turf Moor.
Leeds' interest in Riordan may prove more realistic than their bold attempt to sign Kevin Phillips, who is out of contract at West Brom and considering his next move.
United have been offered Barry Nicholson, who is close to the end of his contract at SPL club Aberdeen, but McAllister is not believed to be interested in taking on the 29-year-old midfielder.
Nicholson has been capped three times by Scotland and would be available on a free transfer, but United have numerous central midfielders in their squad and are unlikely to bring the former Rangers trainee on board.
One player who appears to be on his way out of Elland Road, meanwhile, is striker Anthony Elding.
Leeds have agreed a fee with Crewe for the 26-year-old, who joined United from Stockport County in January but has made only four league starts for the club.
Elding has also attracted interest from Darlington and Hartlepool United, but Crewe are favourites to sign the forward having submitted a successful offer to Elland Road earlier this week, and talks between the player and the Cheshire club began on Friday.
Yorkshire Evening Post 6/6/08
Leeds deny ground bid
By Phil Hay
Ken Bates today moved to deny suggestions that Leeds United are in the process of regaining ownership of Elland Road.
Bates described as "absolute rubbish" the claim that a rental agreement set up in relation to United's training ground at Thorp Arch – but not affecting Elland Road – might represent a move by Leeds to reclaim control of their stadium.
Elland Road has been in the hands of outside owners since it was sold to Jacob Adler, a property developer based in Manchester, by the United board fronted by ex-chairman Gerald Krasner in November 2004. Adler also acquired Thorp Arch as part of the same deal.
Leeds agreed a 25-year lease and negotiated the right to buy back both properties, an option which was retained in 2005 when Adler transferred ownership of Elland Road to Teak Commercial Limited, a company based in the tax haven of the British Virgin Islands.
As a result of the transfer, the stadium and the training ground fell into the possession of different firms – Barnaway, a company connected to Adler, is still believed to be in control of Thorp Arch – and the two properties are subject to individual rental agreements.
Leeds United 2007 Ltd, the vehicle through which Bates took Leeds out of administration last summer, negotiated the continuation of both leases shortly after their takeover in July, and the club were required to pay a bond equivalent to six months' rent to insure their landlords against the possibility that United might default on their payments.
United confirmed today that Elland Road is still in the hands of Teak Commercial Limited.
Bates told the YEP: "The allegation that we've bought back the ground is absolute rubbish. The long and short of this is that we haven't bought the ground back and we don't own it. The ownership hasn't changed at all."
Elland Road and Thorp Arch were sold in 2004 to help combat serious debts in the wake of United's relegation from the Premiership, but the rent now drains an annual £2m from the club's accounts.
Leeds still have the freedom to buy back both the stadium and their training ground, but Bates recently set the cost of re-purchasing both pieces of land at £19,142,806.
Shaun Harvey, United's chief executive, said: "We do have an option to buy Elland Road and Thorp Arch back, but we have not as yet exercised that option. We still intend to do so at the earliest opportunity but the situation is as it was."
Meanwhile, Darlington and Hartlepool United have joined Crewe Alexandra the race to sign Leeds striker Anthony Elding, who looks set to leave Elland Road this summer.
Crewe are lining up a bid for the 26-year-old, who moved to Leeds during the January transfer window, but Elding could yet be the subject of two offers from the north east.
