Mighty Leeds Weblog

Yorkshire Evening Post 31/1/13 New signing Stephen Warnock says the ambition of Leeds United and the feeling of being wanted was what drew him to the Whites. The ex-Aston Villa defender has signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the club after moving up from the Midlands. He told the club website: “I wasn’t needed at Villa, we’d had a couple of calls of interest and Villa said I was free to speak to clubs. “Leeds offered me a contract and at first it was a shorter term contract, but I was on my way to West Ham earlier in the week and Leeds came back in and really made me feel wanted. “There were a couple of clubs interested, but when you see the size of Leeds and the magnitude of the club there’s only one choice, and once I’d spoken to the manager I knew I wanted to come. “Obviously I’ve not been playing at Villa, and when you have a manager who wants you to play and has confidence in you it’s nice to hear.” Warnock is the second signing of transfer deadline day, joining striker...

leedsunited.com 31/1/13 African international joins up... The club have completed the signing of African striker Mouhamadou Habib Habibou on loan until the end of the season, subject to international clearance being received. The Central African Republic international will join from Belgian side SV Zulte Waregem, where he has scored 20 goals in 57 league appearances, initially on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer. United boss Neil Warnock said: "He's a player we've had across for a few days and we liked what we saw. "We had the opportunity to take him on loan and that gives us a chance to have a longer look at him. "We think he could be an exciting prospect." Habibou said: "I'm very happy to be here. I know about the background of the club and the expectations around the club, and I'm happy to sign and start playing." The 25-year-old started his career in France with Paris St Germain, but after failing to breakthr...

leedsunited.com 31/1/13 Warnock captures Warnock... Stephen Warnock The club have completed the signing of Stephen Warnock from Aston Villa. The 31-year-old joins us on a permanent basis from the Premier League club after the terms of the deal were finalised on Thursday evening. The experienced defender completed his medical at Thorp Arch and will meet his new team-mates for the first time on Friday. United boss Neil Warnock said: "I'm absolutely delighted again. Stephen has the experience I think we need in that position. "He is a former international who, for whatever reason, has been allowed to leave Aston Villa. "He's a player I've tried to sign a few times before and I'm pleased he turned down West Ham to come here." Stephen arrives at the club having made over 200 Premier League appearances during spells with Liverpool Blackburn, and Aston Villa. Born in Ormskirk, Stephen started his career at Liverpool and cost Blackburn £1.5m in Jan...

leedsunited.com 31/1/13 New signing aiming high... New signing Steve Morison is firmly focused on making a swift return to the Premier League - in the colours of Leeds United. The 29-year-old signed a three-and-a-half year contract on Thursday morning after an exchange deal was agreed with Norwich City that saw Luciano Becchio heading to Carrow Road. And the Welsh international admits he jumped at the chance to move north when he learnt of the proposed deal. "I got a phone call to say Norwich had agreed a swap for me and Luciano Becchio, and it didn't take long to make my mind up," said Steve. "I'm pretty happy. "There were lots of rumours going around, but I've been out injured and was concentrating on getting fit. This has all happened quickly in the end, but when Leeds come in for you and you see the place it's a no-brainer. "I've played at Leeds a few times. I even managed to score on one of those occasions and it's a fantas...

leedsunited.com 31/1/13 Rachubka links up with League Two club... Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka has joined Accrington Stanley on loan until the end of the season. The 31-year-old has already made six appearances for Accrington this season while on loan with the League Two club. Paul follows Danny Pugh, Paul Connolly, and Paddy Kisnorbo in moving out on long-term loan deals during the transfer window. The former Blackpool goalkeeper has made just seven appearances since joining the club 18 months ago, and hasn't figured in the senior side since November 2011.

leedsunited.com 31/1/13 Boss delighted with striker deal... The club are delighted to announce the signing of Norwich city striker Steve Morison. The 29-year-old joins us in an exchange deal for Luciano Becchio with a further undisclosed sum to be paid by Norwich. Steve completed the formalities of his move on Thursday morning and has signed on a three-and-a-half year contract. The Welsh international cost Norwich £2.8m from Millwall in June 2011 and he has netted 12 goals for the club, including 10 in the Premier League. Steve, who has made 27 appearances this season, scored 40 goals in 95 appearances for Millwall before his move to Carrow Road. United manager Neil Warnock said: "I'm absolutely delighted that we've been able to bring Steve in. "Even before Luciano put in his transfer request we had enquired about Steve - he was at the top of my list in January to bring in - and I can't tell you how delighted I am. "Steve meets all the requirements...

Yorkshire Evening Post 30/1/13 By Phil Hay Stephen Warnock was edging towards a transfer to Leeds United last night as the Elland Road club geared up for a busy finish to the January window. A deal to bring Warnock in from Aston Villa took a big step forward as Leeds’ offer of an 18-month contract scuppered a bid by West Ham United to sign the 31-year-old left-back. West Ham believed they had secured Warnock’s services after approaching him over the weekend but manager Sam Allardyce revealed that a “more long-term” proposal from a side in the Championship had tempted the defender to drop down a division. Leeds and Villa have spent the past 24 hours attempting to agree the terms of Warnock’s departure but Villa have made no secret of their desire to remove his £40,000-a-week salary from their wage bill. Warnock’s deal in Birmingham expires at the end of June and he is expected to leave on a free transfer. The former Liverpool player has been twice capped by England but his career...

Yorkshire Evening Post 30/1/13 Sources in Leeds were indicating last night that a swap deal involving Norwich City’s Steve Morison and Luciano Becchio could become a possibility before tomorrow’s 11pm deadline. The Premier League club are involved in a long-running fight to sign Gary Hooper from Celtic but have so far failed to persuade the Scottish champions to sell him. Norwich – a destination for several ex-Leeds players in recent seasons – are thought to be one of the English sides monitoring Becchio. The 29-year-old submitted a transfer request last week and was left out of United’s thrilling FA Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Leeds are keen on Norwich City’s Steve Morison but Norwich seem unlikely to weaken their squad until their own hunt for a new forward pays off.

Yorkshire Evening Post 29/1/13 By Phil Hay Leeds United are in advanced talks over the proposed signing of left-back Stephen Warnock from Aston Villa. United and Villa appear close to reaching a deal which will allow Warnock to take up an 18-month contract at Elland Road. An agreement has not yet been finalised but Villa are expected to sanction a free transfer in return for a switch which removes Warnock’s £40,000-a-week salary from their wage bill. Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United have also attempted to sign the defender but West Ham manager Sam Allardyce appeared to admit defeat today. Allardyce, who is thought to have offered Warnock a six-month deal, said: “[A transfer] was a goer yesterday but another club in the Championship have made him a more long-term offer and he’s decided to take it.”

leedsunited.com 29/1/13 Honduran free to move on... Ramon Nunez has parted company with Leeds United. The club have terminated the Honduran's contract by mutual consent and he is now free to find an alternative club. The 27-year-old joined the club in the summer of 2010 and made a total of 25 appearances. Ramon scored five goals for Leeds United, his last coming at Doncaster in August 2011. The player, who also had a loan spell at Scunthorpe in 2011, was placed on the transfer list last summer by manager Neil Warnock. Ramon, who wasn't given a squad number, remained after the transfer window closed and suffered an injury in a Development Squad clash with Wigan at Elland Road in September.

Yorkshire Post 29/1/13 By Richard Sutcliffe ROSS McCORMACK hopes netting the goal that fired Leeds United into the FA Cup fifth round will cement his place at the head of the Yorkshire club’s attack. The Scottish international showed tremendous poise and ability to net United’s second in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. In the process, McCormack made it three goals in as many games and after spending most of the season playing either out wide or in midfield, he hopes that mini-burst of scoring form will persuade Neil Warnock to play him up front every week. The 26-year-old said: “This season has been frustrating, for one reason or another. I have said from day one when I came to this club that I am a striker and that is where I want to play. “Hopefully, (by scoring against Spurs) I have maybe given the gaffer some food for thought that I can play that role.” Luciano Becchio’s submitting of a transfer request last week paved the way for McCormack to move up front alongside...

Mail 28/1/13 By John Edwards Luciano Becchio’s Elland Road exit has moved a step nearer after it emerged that Leeds are closing in on giant striker Habib Habibou to replace him. Habibou was a target for QPR earlier this month but looks to be bound for Elland Road, amid claims that Leeds have had a bid accepted by his club Zulte Waregem. The move should hasten Becchio’s departure, after Leeds manager Neil Warnock insisted his main striker’s transfer request would only be granted on the condition a replacement was found. Warnock appears to have settled on 6ft 4in marksman Habibou, born in Bria in the Central African Republic but a French passport holder. The 25-year old has scored 20 goals in 57 appearances for his Belgian League club, including six in 13 this season, and has a reputation for being a fearsome physical presence as an attacking spearhead.

Former Leeds United player Max Gradel has ruled out a return to Leeds at this moment in his career. Gradel, who enjoyed two seasons at Elland Road, has been linked with a move back to Leeds recently but the winger who currently plays in the French top flight with St Etienne, says he cannot return to Leeds whilst the are in the championship but he hasn`t ruled out a return one day. Speaking on Radio Leeds, Gradel said, "I saw some news saying that I was coming back. I know they tried to speak to my agent about coming back but as much as I love and respect Leeds and the fans, who have been fantastic. Football wise, I have to try to improve and move on. "I love Leeds and I hope one day I will come back but right now, I am in the top league and I want to move forward and play Champions League football. "Leeds are in the Championship right now and footballing wise, I can`t go back to Leeds, but you never know, things move quickly and I might be back at Leeds one day....

Sky 28/1/13 By Pete O'Rourke Sky Sports understands Leeds are lining up a move for Reading defender Kaspars Gorkss. Gorkss has found himself out of favour at Reading in recent weeks and has not featured for Brian McDermott's men since the Premier League defeat to Arsenal in December. The 31-year-old is thought to be interested in a move away from Reading in search of regular first-team football. The news has alerted a number of clubs to Gorkss' possible availability before the close of the transfer window. Leeds are thought to be in the market for a new defender after seeing Alan Tate return to Swansea following a loan spell at Elland Road. Leeds boss Neil Warnock is a big fan of Gorkss having worked with him during his time in charge of Queens Park Rangers and he is thought to be considering a move to be reunited with the Latvian stopper.

Phil Hay Luciano Becchio looks set to depart for Turkey before the end of the transfer window after Leeds United left him out of their brilliant FA Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur. The club’s leading scorer did not attend Elland Road for the fourth-round tie and he is understood to be pressing Leeds to bow to repeated approaches from the Turkish Premier League. United have rejected three bids from an unnamed club in Turkey while also turning down an offer from a side in China but Becchio’s departure in the final days of January seems inevitable after his omission from the clash with Spurs. The 29-year-old forward submitted a transfer request last week after turning down a new three-and-a-half year contract and learning of foreign interest in him. Leeds offered to improve the wage of their highest earner but claimed Becchio was asking for a salary “beyond a level we could support”. His agent, Horacio Rossi, responded to that claim over the weekend by saying the improvement in Becch...

Independent 28/1/13 Manager wants reinforcements following win over Spurs Mark Walker Leeds manager Neil Warnock will sit down with representatives of the club's new owners this week to finalise plans to strengthen his squad after his side pulled off another FA Cup upset by beating Tottenham 2-1. Warnock is under increasing pressure to give Leeds' npower Championship play-off chances a boost with the expected departure of leading goalscorer Luciano Becchio before Thursday night's transfer deadline set to leave him short of strikers and upset fans. Becchio, whose agent claims he does not want to leave, played no part against Spurs but was hardly missed as goals from Luke Varney and Ross McCormack early in either half secured them a fifth-round tie at Manchester City. Tottenham, without the injured Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor, on African Nations Cup duty with Togo, lacked firepower at Elland Road and although Clint Dempsey pulled a goal back in the 58th minute, ...

Yorkshire Evening Post 28/1/13 Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said Leeds United deserved credit for the competitive nature of their performance after his side crashed out of the FA Cup at Elland Road. Luke Varney ran clear to give United an early lead as Tottenham failed to convert a series of first-half chances. Ross McCormack made it 2-0 after more poor defending allowed him to turn inside Steve Caulker and slam home. Clint Dempsey headed home to give Spurs hope and the visitors knew their luck was out whenLee Peltier got back superbly to deny substitute John Obika with a last-ditch challenge late on. “It was difficult,” said Villas-Boas, who made five changes to his side. “At 2-0 Leeds got further inspiration and we wanted to get back quickly. “We had a good 15 minutes before the goal when we had some good chances, and I think it was important to score early. It was difficult as we were always chasing the game and this is a difficult place to play, and we couldn’t play o...

Leeds United boss Neil Warnock revealed after the game that he had told want a way striker Luciano Becchio that he would not feature in the FA Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur in the early part of last week. Becchio has handed in a transfer request at Elland Road after turning down the offer of a new deal with a number of clubs, both home and abroad chasing the clubs leading goalscorer. Warnock decided to stick with the side that defeated Birmingham City in the previous round and he felt it wasn`t right to include him in the side, with his form being affected in the past month with the on-going transfer speculation. Speaking on LUTV, Warnock said, "I didn`t think it was right to play him. I told him earlier in the week that I wouldn`t be playing him." Leeds have already turned down four offers for the striker from abroad and they have had enquiries from the England, without a firm offer being made. With the transfer window closing in just four days, Warnock says he is st...

Leeds United boss Neil Warnock says midfielder Michael Brown was magnificent as he rolled back the years to help Leeds defeat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the FA Cup. Brown was named captain of the side for the day against one of his former clubs and he snapped and snarled at the ankles of the Tottenham midfield all afternoon. The veteran midfielder, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Friday, never gave England international midfielders Scott Parker and Tom Huddlestone a moment`s peace and his over exuberance almost spoilt what had been a great performance when he gave away a needless free kick in the final minute of the game when he clattered into Parker. Leeds managed to clear the resulting free kick and boss Warnock says he would have been in trouble had they equalised but he could not fault his overall performance. Speaking on LUTV, Warnock said, "Apart from the free kick in the final minute, which I would have crucified him for had they equalised, I thought he was magnificen...

Guardian 27/1/13 Energetic pressing against Spurs from first minute led to a constant, aggressive tempo that gave Leeds the edge Michael Cox From the opening minute, Leeds' defensive work in the opposition half hinted at an upset. The game was only 30 seconds old when Rodolph Austin closed down Scott Parker, forced him into a mistake, and the home side gained possession high up the pitch to an approving roar from across Elland Road. It set the tempo for a fierce, aggressive and tactically brave performance. Leeds' pressing was energetic, but also impressively consistent throughout the game. Unlike his opposite number, Neil Warnock is not a modern, suave strategist with buzzwords and detailed instructions for individuals – his final pre-match words probably involved encouraging his charges to "make a nuisance of themselves" when Spurs had possession, although with both Michael Brown and El-Hadji Diouf in his starting XI, such direction was probably unnecessary. S...

Bradford Telegraph & Argus 27/1/13 Leeds United 2, Tottenham Hotspur 1 Neil Warnock took a swipe at the Leeds United boo-boys after his side pulled off another shock result with a 2-1 win over Tottenham at Elland Road to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup today. Leeds striker Luke Varney held his nerve after being sent clear by skipper Michael Brown’s through-ball in the 15th minute to open the scoring, and Tottenham’s hopes of a fightback were dealt a blow five minutes after the break when Ross McCormack slammed home a fine second. Tottenham forward Clint Dempsey deftly headed Gareth Bale’s excellent cross inside the far post eight minutes later, having earlier spurned a gilt-edged chance to reduce the deficit, but there was no way back for the Londoners. Leeds, in fact, could have added to their tally with McCormack guilty of two bad misses in either half. Home defender Lee Peltier then ensured Warnock’s side exacted revenge on Spurs for their triumph at Elland Road at t...

Mail 27/1/13 By Ian Ladyman Leeds manager Neil Warnock was preparing on Sunday night to celebrate his team’s FA Cup win with a bottle of champagne and a bag of crisps. Goals from Luke Varney and Ross McCormack were enough to beat a Tottenham side showing five changes from the one who drew with Manchester United seven days earlier. The visitors ultimately paid a heavy price. Afterwards Warnock said: ‘This is a fabulous day for everybody and I thought we were fantastic. We’ve done this for the 1,500 supporters who followed us to Birmingham for last week’s replay. ‘When I was a kid these were the type of games that I loved. It was a classic FA Cup tie and I have to say that I don’t think we have got anything other than what we absolutely deserved. ‘When you put heads in and tackles in at the end, that is what I love about English football. When you see games likes that it is a fabulous advert for the FA Cup. ‘I’m on my own tonight. My wife and family aren’t up here so I will open...

Independent 27/1/13 Leeds United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1 Ian Herbert By the end, there were plastic bags and crisp bags skittering across the turf of a club which has long since been cast out of the big time and onto the Premier League’s refuse tip. But that was the only rubbish on view. This was a day when Leeds simply didn’t flinch in the face of a fixture with history which, to quote their manager Neil Warnock’s observations beforehand, “runs off the tongue naturally”. For his Tottenham counterpart Andre Villas Boas there was the substantial gamble of starting the game without any recognised striker – a risk which he is willing to take with the remainder of the Premier League campaign, judging by his declaration last night that Tottenham will not be bringing in new players. But the minimal chances his side created made the absence of Jermain Defoe or Emmanuel Adebayor a theoretical concept, even though Defoe might have done better with the chance that the rookie Jonathan Obika...

Mail 27/1/13 By Wayne Gardiner, Press Association Toothless Tottenham bowed out of the FA Cup at the fourth-round stage on Sunday as they were beaten at npower Championship side Leeds. With Jermain Defoe reportedly injured and Emmanuel Adebayor on international duty, manager Andre Villas-Boas went into the Elland Road clash without a recognised striker and it showed as Spurs, Clint Dempsey's consolation strike aside, repeatedly failed in front of goal. Leeds actually had striking problems of their own ahead of the game - leading scorer Luciano Becchio was not involved as a move away from Elland Road looms - but they gave no suggestion of it as Luke Varney and then Ross McCormack found the target to send Spurs packing. McCormack's effort was a stunning 50th-minute strike that gave Neil Warnock's side some breathing space. Varney's 15th-minute opener had earlier set the tone, with Leeds sharper in the final third. With no out-ball up front, Villas-Boas relied heav...

Former Leeds United loan defender Alan Tate says there has been interest from China for Leeds want away striker Luciano Becchio. Becchio has handed in a transfer request at Elland Road today and the club admitted in a statement that they had turned down bids from two separate foreign clubs. Tate, who returned to Swansea City this week, ending his loan at Elland Road, says he knows there was interest from China as well as Premier League side Wigan Athletic. Speaking on Talksport, Tate said, "I knew it was coming. Being in the dressing room, you hear things. "I got on well with Becchio and I know he had interest from China and from Wigan. "It is now up to him what he wants to do. He has been a very good player for Leeds and had five great years with them. "He deserves his chance in the Premier League. I hope he doesn`t leave Leeds to go to China if he has the chance to play in the Premier League." Leeds also stated that they were unwilling to sell Becchio ...

Former Leeds United loan defender Alan Tate says he had to return to Swansea because of the money situation at Elland Road. Tate was due to return to parent club Swansea City after Leeds game with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and Leeds boss Neil Warnock says he allowed him to return to Swansea, as a defender was not his priority in the January transfer window. Swansea boss Michael Laudrup said over the festive period that he expected Tate to remain with Leeds for the rest of the season but Leeds only extended the loan into a second month after his initial loan ran out on January 2nd. Worryingly for Leeds fans, Tate says it was because of the money situation at Elland Road, which meant he could not remain with the club. Speaking on Talksport, Tate said, "My contract was not technically over until Sunday, but for different reasons I have returned to Swansea. "I was enjoying my time up there, things went well but with the money situation up there, I couldn`t stay longer....

Scratching Shed 24/1/13 Leeds United’s top goalscorer and highest earning player Luciano Becchio has today submitted a transfer request. The 29-year-old Argentinian striker has been at the centre of continuous transfer speculation since mid-December, with Neil Warnock revealing earlier this month that he’d “had his head turned”. A statement on Leeds United’s official site revealed the club has already rejected two bids while trying to agree a new deal with the striker. As the blame games commence, it’s worth considering that Luciano Becchio’s next contract is likely to be his last and most profitable. Had Leeds United been in a position where promotion looked likely, I’m sure he’d have waited until the end of the season in the hope of being able to agree a Premier League pay hike. Unfortunately, the chances of Leeds United achieving promotion this season are slim to none. From the owners perspective, Luciano is already the highest paid player at the club and they’ve offered to i...

leedsunited.com 24/1/13 The club has issued the following statement... Luciano Becchio scores Luciano Becchio, who has been the subject of two separate bids from foreign clubs during the January transfer window, has handed in a transfer request to the club, as financially he believes his best interests are served by a move away from Leeds United. Both bids have been rejected and the player will only be allowed to leave in the event that an acceptable offer is received. The club have sought to agree the terms of a new contract with the player, who is already the highest earner, but the requested terms were beyond a level that we could support, particularly in view of the regulations relating to Financial Fair Play that will be effective in coming seasons. It is disappointing that this situation has occurred when he is under contract until 30th June 2014.

Yorkshire Evening Post 24/1/13 By Phil Hay Leeds United have entered the bidding to sign Stephen Warnock by approaching Aston Villa about a loan deal for the out-of-favour left-back. Sources in the West Midlands last night revealed that both Leeds and Wolverhampton Wanderers have expressed a firm interest in 31-year-old Warnock, who spent the first half of this season on loan at Bolton Wanderers. United’s range of left-backs was recently weakened by the loss to injury of Adam Drury and Villa are ready to release Warnock on a long-term loan having failed to use him in a single first-team fixture since the end of last term.

Yorkshire Evening Post 24/1/13 By Phil Hay Max Gradel is back on Leeds United’s radar after the Elland Road club made the first move towards recapturing their one-time player of the year. The Yorkshire Evening Post understands that an enquiry about Gradel’s availability was made in the past week amid on-going attempts by manager Neil Warnock to strengthen his squad before the end of January. A deal to sign the popular winger – voted Leeds’ best performer in 2011 – is likely to be complex with Gradel under contract at St Etienne until 2015 and the French club reluctant to sell him in this transfer window, but the 25-year-old has spoken previously of the attraction of returning to English football. Gradel was a product of Leicester City’s academy and turned professional at the Walkers Stadium before moving to Leeds for a fee of around £200,000 in January 2010. He featured prominently in the squad which won promotion from League One in 2011 but was sold to St Etienne for close to £2m...

Yorkshire Evening Post 23/1/13 By Phil Hay The financial disparity between Leeds United and the clubs who were once their peers is never more pronounced than when one or other of England’s cup competitions produces a tie like Sunday’s. Neil Warnock’s record signing at Elland Road – defender Lee Peltier – cost somewhere in the region of £800,000. There are players in the Premier League who earn as much in a month and some at Tottenham Hotspur who are not far behind; a different league in more ways than one. But even in the Championship the playing field is less than level. Chris Waddle, the former Spurs winger and a player who cost almost £5million at a time when that figure meant something, looks at Leeds and sees a club whose spending power opens few doors. Promotion matters more to Leeds than progression in the FA Cup this weekend but Waddle does not speak like a man who would put his house on either possibility. The prevailing view of United’s situation is that they have much t...

Yorkshire Evening Post 23/1/13 By Phil Hay Neil Warnock admitted he was prioritising attacking additions to the squad at Leeds United after ending his interest in re-signing Swansea City’s Alan Tate.br /> Tate has returned to his parent club after two months on loan at Elland Road, cutting short a deal which was due to end this weekend and ruling out the option of a move to Leeds for the rest of the season.br /> The 30-year-old centre-back played 11 times for United after joining the club in November and he was in line to make the final appearance of his short-term loan in a Championship match against Middlesbrough on Saturday.br /> But Leeds’ progression to the fourth round of the FA Cup, earning them a meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, saw the club and Tate go their separate ways after Warnock excluded him from his matchday squad for last weekend’s win over Bristol City. Warnock said: “He’s been a really big help for us, especially in the games after we first signe...

leedsunited.com 22/1/13 Time is up for loan man... Alan Tate Loan man Alan Tate has returned to Swansea City. The 30-year-old's loan spell was due to come to an end at the weekend and he has now returned to South wales. Alan spent two months on loan with the club and made 11 appearances. "We can't thank Alan enough for his help over the past month, and thanks also to Swansea for allowing him to come here," said Neil Warnock. "He has returned to Swansea now and we wish him all the best."

Yorkshire Post 22/1/13 By Leon Wobschall LEEDS UNITED are closing in on a deal to sign former Portsmouth striker Aruna Dindane – who is understood to be in Yorkshire today to meet with club officials. The 32-year-old frontman is a free agent after recently leaving Qatar-based Al-Sailiya Sport Club following a six-month spell with United set to hand him a contract for the rest of the season. Dindane, capped 67 times by Ivory Coast, has been playing in the Middle East for the past three seasons, but has been keen to make a return to England – following a successful loan spell at Fratton Park in 2009-10 after joining from French side Lens. Dindane struck 10 goals for Pompey – including a top-flight hat-trick against Wigan Athletic in October 2009 – but failed to earn a permanent deal following the cash-strapped club’s relegation from the top-flight. Shortly after, Dindane headed to Qatar, but after a two-and-a-half-year spell with three separate clubs, he has expressed an interest...

Yorkshire Evening Post 22/1/13 The agent of Bradford City hot-shot Nahki Wells has confirmed Leeds United are one of a host of clubs watching the striker. But he has added that the Bantams, in Capital One Cup semi-final action tonight, are currently not looking to sell with only a massive offer likely to lead them cashing in – with the club having not received any bids yet. Agent David Threlfall said: “I know Leeds are watching him, but everyone seems to be. Because Nahki is doing well, a lot of clubs are watching him in every game. “But to my knowledge, the club (Bradford) have had no sniffs for him.”

Yorkshire Post 21/1/13 By Richard Sutcliffe NEIL WARNOCK is delighted that Leeds United do not have another Championship game before the end of the January transfer window as the club look this week to step up their attempts to strengthen. The Elland Road chief has managed to make just one signing – Everton loanee Ross Barkley – since the turn of the year despite having enquired about a host of potential targets. United, who beat Bristol City 1-0 on Saturday in a scrappy encounter to remain five points adrift of the play-off spots, were linked with Norwich City’s Steve Morison and former Portsmouth striker Aruna Dindane over the weekend. Warnock is remaining tight-lipped over the identity of the players he wants, but claims Leeds not being in league action until February 2 – when leaders Cardiff City come to West Yorkshire – can only be a positive. He said: “I am delighted that the league game with Middlesbrough (scheduled for next Saturday but postponed due to both clubs being...

Yorkshire Evening Post 21/1/13 By Phil Hay Elland Road on Saturday had more empty seats than full. This on an afternoon when Leeds United registered a sixth successive league win at home. Not even the introduction of half-season tickets could better the stadium’s average. Those statistics were juxtaposed as the debate raged about how the club and their manager should be judged. It may not matter to him in the slightest but Neil Warnock is patently aware that certain supporters regard Leeds as a team lacking in culture. More of that criticism was heard after their 1-0 victory over Bristol City. “You can’t please everybody,” Warnock said, “even after six straight wins. They’d rather see you play like Real Madrid and lose. But the Championship’s a hard league and I don’t think many teams could get six home wins on the trot.” For him, Saturday’s game was entirely about the result. United’s owner, GFH Capital, has said nothing about the security of Warnock’s position as manager – a col...

Yorkshire Evening Post 21/1/13 By Phil Hay Neil Kilkenny admitted he was surprised by the dwindling crowds at Leeds United after making a return to Elland Road during Bristol City’s 1-0 defeat on Saturday. The Australian international, who spent three-and-a-half years as a Leeds player, was at a loss to understand the low-key atmosphere as Elland Road witnessed its smallest attendance of the season for a league game staged on a Saturday afternoon. A second-half goal from Ross McCormack earned United a precious win – their sixth straight league victory at home – and kept the club on the fringes of the Championship’s play-off positions while worsening Bristol City’s prospects of survival. Kilkenny was part of the Leeds squads who won promotion from League One in 2010 and finished seventh in the Championship the following year but crowds at Elland Road have dipped significantly since he moved on to Ashton Gate in the summer of 2011. “When I was here we used to get 30,000 most weeks ...

Yorkshire Evening Post 19/1/13 ROSS McCormack earned Neil Warnock’s praise for heading Leeds United to a sixth successive home league win as Sean O’Driscoll made a losing start to his reign as Bristol City boss. Warnock admired McCormack’s all-round contribution as the resurgent striker collected his second goal in as many games in the 1-0 win at Elland Road. “I thought if anyone was going to score today it was Ross,” Leeds manager Warnock said. “It was a cracking goal, he deserved it and he covered lots of ground. He was a fraction away from putting one in at the end of the first half and looked very sharp.” Boos rang out from Leeds fans after a dull opening 45 minutes but Warnock said: “We knew it would be hard work because they have a new manager and are fighting for their lives. “We got a grip at half-time and were a lot more positive in the second half. “Tom Lees and Lee Peltier were fabulous at the back for us. Unfortunately, you can’t please everyone, even when you have...