Leeds United plan to repel mounting interest in Harry Kewell from Italy's Serie A by making the Australian forward one of the Premiership's highest earners.
Kewell agreed a four-year contract only eight months ago, but his impressive form, coupled with his recent admission that he would like to play on the Continent, has not gone unnoticed. According to reports in Italy he was watched by representatives from Juventus and Internazionale in Leeds' scoreless draw against Roma last Thursday.
As the two teams prepared to renew acquaintances in the return leg at Elland Road tonight (8.00), with a UEFA Cup quarter-final against Slavia Prague on offer, the Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale emphasised they were in the business of building a team rather than dismantling one.
"There is no doubt that if Harry continues to make this progress he will be one of the top players in the country and we will reward him as such," he said. "I have no problem making a Leeds player one of the best-paid in the country if he deserves it." Though David O'Leary's side scored a few psychological points at the Stadio Olimpico, Roma have not conceded a goal in European competition for 463 minutes and have not lost against English opposition in seven previous meetings.
But while there are doubts surrounding the fitness of three Leeds players - Jason Wilcox, Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate - Roma will be without the Brazilian captain Cafu, who has a knee injury, and their playmaker Francesco Totti has a damaged toe and will have a pain-killing injection in the hope of playing.
Following last Saturday's 3-0 win over Coventry, Irish midfielder Stephen McPhail said: "It's important we won that game because it's given us a psychological boost. Going into this game we've now got a lot of confidence.
"For the lads up front who scored the goals - Michael Bridges, Harry Kewell and Jason Wilcox - it will have helped them and hopefully they'll all now go on a bit of a run.
"We're setting out our stall to attack them early on and we're going for the win. We'll take a few goals on Thursday, without a doubt."
