The immediate future of Lee Bowyer will become clearer today when the Leeds midfielder meets manager Terry Venables for the first time since the player's proposed move to Liverpool collapsed.
At their earlier, brief meeting it appeared certain the 25-year-old would move across the Pennines. Venables now faces the difficulty of repairing the fraught relations between player and club if he is to retain Bowyer.
Bowyer returned to Leeds after Gerard Houllier withdrew from the planned £9 million deal, allowing the player to join his team-mates on the pre-season tour in Australia on Wednesday, 24 hours before Venables arrived after business in the Seychelles.
The £30 million departure of Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United has removed the pressure on the Leeds manager to raise additional funds and Venables has made it clear he hopes to welcome Bowyer back into the Elland Road fold. But there is continuing speculation that the former Charlton player, who has only one year left on his Leeds contract, would prefer a move back to the capital, preferably to Arsenal.
Venables' desire to keep Bowyer will have risen with Liverpool having emerged as the likely destination for Feyenoord's Brett Emerton. The right-sided midfielder, rated at £8 million, was courted by Leeds last season and a deal was thought to be virtually concluded given the income from the Ferdinand sale. But, ironically, the breakdown between Liverpool and Bowyer, coupled with Blackburn's £20 million valuation of Damien Duff, triggered the Anfield interest in the Australian.
Tottenham's continuing interest in the Leeds striker Robbie Keane could offer Venables the opportunity to reunite with Darren Anderton, a player he has regarded as a favourite since taking the midfielder to Spurs from Portsmouth in 1992. Keane is top of Spurs' shopping list and the use of Anderton (30), as a significant makeweight in a bid for Keane, rated at £9 million by Leeds, would satisfy both clubs.
The dispute between Chelsea and their centre back William Gallas has attracted the interest of Leeds, who have been alerted by a get-out clause in the player's contract allowing him to leave if Chelsea receive an offer of £7.5 million. Chelsea are keen to tie Gallas down on a new contract but the Frenchman believes he deserves a hefty pay rise.
Nigel Martyn's absence from Leeds' tour seems certain to open the door for the England under-21 goalkeeper Paul Robinson to claim the number one spot from the 35-year-old. Leeds would let Martyn go for around £2 million.
Manchester City's Costa Rica striker Paulo Wanchope will be out until the new year. Wanchope, who is to have a third operation on a knee injury, last played for Kevin Keegan's side in February.
Aston Villa are set to sign Hibernian's Ecuadorian international Ulises de la Cruz for £1 million. The clubs are understood to have agreed the fee and all that remains to be resolved are the 25-year-old's personal terms.
Bolton are on the point of signing Real Madrid's European Cup-winning central defender Ivan Campo. Bolton have offered the 28-year-old a three-year contract that would make him the highest paid player in their history.
Real Madrid definitely off-loaded one player Geremi, who was granted a work permit to join Middlesbrough on loan. The 23-year-old Cameroon international agreed a year-long move after talks on Teesside last Friday, then had to leave the country while his application was processed by the Department of Employment. But Boro confirmed yesterday the permit had been granted.
Guardian Service.
