Leeds United man was wanted by overseas club as defender rejected switch
Latest Leeds United news and rumours following their weekend stalemate
Leeds United drew 0-0 at home to Sheffield Wednesday this weekend. The Whites weren’t able to find a winner at Elland Road and were forced to settle for a point.
Daniel Farke’s side face a trip to Millwall away after the international break. In the meantime, here is a look at some of the latest news and rumours coming out of the club…
Attacker was wanted
Freiburg failed with a late push to sign Willy Gnonto from Leeds, according to German news outlet Bild. The Italy international was the subject of interest throughout the last transfer window but ended up staying put.
The Bundesliga outift looked into a swoop for the attacker on deadline day but weren’t able to strike a deal in the end. He scored for the Whites in their recent away win at Ipswich Town and will be sticking around until January at least now after an eventul summer.
Liam Cooper rejected interest from Saudi Arabia to stay at Leeds and talks over a new deal are expected in the near future, as detailed in a report by The Athletic. The Hull-born has played for the Whites since 2014 and had no intention of cutting ties with them following their relegation from the Premier League last term.
He joined from Chesterfield and has since made 266 appearances in all competitions to date, chipping in with 11 goals. The centre-back is currently out injured and will be eager to return to the action as soon as he can.
Opposition reaction
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Sheffield Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz was pleased with a draw against Leeds on Saturday afternoon. The Owls have now picked up their first point since promotion from League One.
Their manager told their website: “We showed very good attention, we are thinking like a team and we played like a team. We gave 100% in all the actions and it was a very good performance today.
“There are some areas we need to improve, this is only one step and we must continue to work hard.”
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Matchday Memories: On This Day 1977 – Milne’s Men’s ‘Deadly Duo’ Make Our Point v. Leeds
Deadly Duo: ‘Wally’ & ‘Fergy’
On this day (3rd September) in 1977 (now CCFPA member) Gordon Milne‘s Sky Blues had won two of their first three games of the 1977-78 Division One season. After beating Derby County 3-1 at home in the season’s opener they had lost 3-1 at Old Trafford against Manchester United in midweek. The previous Saturday their new 4-4-2 system had produced a brilliant 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea, so hopes were high today’s match at Highfield Road would produce another win. Leeds United were the visitors and a decent crowd of 21,312 had turned up to watch as City’s attacking policy received its first big test.
half Gordon McQueen followed up with another seven minutes later. Then the Sky Blues ‘deadly duo’ of Ian Wallace and Mick Ferguson (both current CCFPA members) took a hand.
Both were already sharing the six goals CCFC had scored so far and this continued. First, on the half hour ‘Fergie’ scored a stunning header from a cross by Tommy Hutchinson to send the Sky Blues in only a goal down at half-time.
Ian in the Sky Blue
‘Wally’s opportunism then gave the Sky Blues their deserved equaliser only four minutes into the second half. There were chances for both sides to take all the points as the second half wound down and the Sky Blues fans felt cheated when Ian was brought down in the box by Frankie Gray late on but the ref ignored/ missed the foul! The 1-1 draw sent City to eighth in Division One.
Our flame haired striker went on to notch 23 goals this season and Mick helped himself to seventeen goals as the pair scored more than half the club’s league goals and just under half the team’s 75 goals in all competitions
Sky Blue Manager Gordon
Milne’s men that September day lined up as follows (CCFPA members underlined):-
Jim Blyth, Graham Oakey, Bobby McDonald, Terry Yorath, the late Jim Holton, Mick Coop, Ray Graydon, Ian Wallace, Mick Ferguson, Barry Powell and Tommy Hutchison.
Jimmy Armfield‘s Leeds side was:-
David Stewart, Paul Reaney (sub. Carl Harris), Trevor Cherry, Peter Lorimer, Gordon McQueen, Paul Madeley, Frank Gray, Ray Hankin, Joe Jordan, Tony Currie and Arthur
The Sky Blues were well beaten in the return at Elland Road in January losing by two clear goals scored by Ray Hankin and Carl Harris. Nevertheless, though from the Yorkshiremen got the better of the Sky Blues in the league games, CCFC got the bragging rights at the end of the season finishing seventh in the league, two places and two points above United!
This was Nottingham Forest‘s year to be League Champions and they did it in style being seven points clear of runners up Liverpool.
At the other end of the table (in descending order at the bottom) West Ham United, Newcastle United and Leicester City suffered the ignominy of relegation.
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