Bates: No offers yet for Beckford (From Advertiser Series)

Bates: No offers yet for Beckford

11:42am Friday 3rd July 2009

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Leeds United chairman Ken Bates is still hoping Jermaine Beckford will stay at Elland Road, even though the ace marksman rejected a new contract last month.

Beckford, who scored 34 goals last season, returned for the start of pre-season training on Thursday, with Bates confirming the club had still received no offers for the former Wealdstone striker – whose present deal has a year to run.

Bates said: “As it is, Jermaine remains at Leeds. He is an important part of our plans to win promotion this season. If he stays and scores 30 goals, which we would all be pleased with, we can look at the situation again.

“You can always sign improved and extended contracts at any stage of the season and that may be his decision if we are near the Championship places later in the season.”

Although United have had talks with Cardiff’s Warren Feeney, who began his career at Elland Road, manager Simon Grayson said the club would not be signing the Northern Ireland international striker.

Former Northampton Town right back Jason Crowe had his first training session with his new Leeds team-mates and also involved were Neil Kilkenny, Enoch Showunmi and Paul Huntington, who have all recovered from injuries during the summer.

However, central defender Richard Naylor remains doubtful for the season’s start after undergoing back surgery.

Bates added: “We are close to signing a goalkeeper because we let David Lucas go and we need another one to challenge Casper Ankergren. We are looking for another centre back and we have four players in for trials next week in all positions.

“We are looking to freshen up the squad a bit and we have a few we want to move on because they don’t fit into the manager’s thinking.”

Peter Sweeney is a free agent after being released earlier this week, while the contracts of Jonathan Douglas and Frazer Richardson were not renewed.

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