Clark says Leeds eyed Burke deal
Yorkshire Evening Post 6/9/13
Birmingham City manager Lee Clark has revealed how a conversation with Brian McDermott on Sunday put paid to Leeds United’s interest in Chris Burke.
Clark and McDermott spoke about Burke’s availability over the weekend after United’s boss identified him as a late target in the summer transfer window.
But Clark said his managerial counterpart “didn’t come back and pursue it” after being told that the Scotland winger would cost Leeds a fee of £600,000.
United allowed Monday’s transfer deadline to pass without any new signings and McDermott told the YEP that he advised the club against a move for Burke, believing he was overpriced with less than a year on his contract.
Clark, who has dismissed any possibility of Burke, pictured above, being made available when the emergency loan market opens on Tuesday, said: “I had a conversation with Brian on Sunday. He basically asked about Chris.
“They (Leeds) said they were willing to do that deal but thankfully Brian didn’t come back and pursue it.
“Chris is 100 per cent happy and he’s enjoying it here. He’s never indicated to me that he has ever wanted to leave.”
Meanwhile, Leeds have agreed a deal with Enterprise Insurance which will see the company remain as their shirt sponsor until the 2016-17 season.
The new three-year agreement between United and the Gibraltar-based firm was described by Leeds as the “longest deal of this kind in the history of the club.”
Enterprise Insurance has sponsored Leeds for the past two years having stepped into replace Netflights.com in 2011. United managing director David Haigh said: “We’re particularly delighted to see a long-standing partner reinvest in the future and show such support and confidence in the management of the club.”
Birmingham City manager Lee Clark has revealed how a conversation with Brian McDermott on Sunday put paid to Leeds United’s interest in Chris Burke.
Clark and McDermott spoke about Burke’s availability over the weekend after United’s boss identified him as a late target in the summer transfer window.
But Clark said his managerial counterpart “didn’t come back and pursue it” after being told that the Scotland winger would cost Leeds a fee of £600,000.
United allowed Monday’s transfer deadline to pass without any new signings and McDermott told the YEP that he advised the club against a move for Burke, believing he was overpriced with less than a year on his contract.
Clark, who has dismissed any possibility of Burke, pictured above, being made available when the emergency loan market opens on Tuesday, said: “I had a conversation with Brian on Sunday. He basically asked about Chris.
“They (Leeds) said they were willing to do that deal but thankfully Brian didn’t come back and pursue it.
“Chris is 100 per cent happy and he’s enjoying it here. He’s never indicated to me that he has ever wanted to leave.”
Meanwhile, Leeds have agreed a deal with Enterprise Insurance which will see the company remain as their shirt sponsor until the 2016-17 season.
The new three-year agreement between United and the Gibraltar-based firm was described by Leeds as the “longest deal of this kind in the history of the club.”
Enterprise Insurance has sponsored Leeds for the past two years having stepped into replace Netflights.com in 2011. United managing director David Haigh said: “We’re particularly delighted to see a long-standing partner reinvest in the future and show such support and confidence in the management of the club.”