A statement on the official site this afternoon has contradicted an earlier claim by the Yorkshire Post that El-Hadji Diouf could be released to make additional funds available for new signings.
The Post said that McDermott had told them last night that "If someone comes in for one of our players we’ll obviously listen to them and make our own judgements”, though he didn’t mention any specific names. The paper also claimed that the board had instructed the manager to make cuts to their £15million wage bill.
They went on to speculate who could be on the way, and decided that Diouf could be one to be moved on, as he is one of the highest earners at the club, on a reported £10,000 a week. But although the signing of Noel Hunt and Matt Smith over the summer has given Leeds extra options up front, Brian McDermott told the official site that Diouf isn’t leaving and he is likely to return to the squad for the Sheffield Wednesday game at the weekend.
"Dioufy’s training again and he played 75 minutes against Burnley last week so he could come into the 18. No one is being forced out of the door, and there is nothing to report.” Diouf has missed the start to the season through suspension and a virus he picked up during his summer holiday in Africa, but he began his comeback in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Burnley last Tuesday.
The YEP also claimed to ‘understand’ that Norris and Drury could also be moved on, and this sounds a little more plausible. Drury has found it hard to get back in the side after Steven Warnock was signed while he was out with injury last season, and Norris also faces plenty of competition for a place in central midfield.
Given the limited funds that GFH have at their disposal it’s possible that Leeds would accept an offer from any club wanting to take these two off our hands. McDermott wants to sign another central defender before the transfer window closes in just over two weeks, especially as we looked vulnerable at the back during a couple of games in pre-season.
We’ve been trying to negotiate a loan deal for Bolton’s Matt Mills, but have yet to come up with an offer acceptable to the Lancashire club, and we won’t be singing Gordon Greer now that he has agreed a new deal with his club Brighton. So the YEP are now claiming that ‘sources in the north west’ believe we’re going to make a move for Manchester United youngster Scott Wootton.
But for the time being my co-writer and his family can sleep easy, as their cult hero Dioufy will be staying at the club. There’ll be dancing in the streets of Ashby-de-la-Zouch tonight!