Ridsale: Staying on still an option for Bowyer
Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale maintains the club have done all they can to keep Lee Bowyer - and would enter further negotiations if the player wanted to stay.
England midfielder Bowyer was placed on the transfer list at the end of last month after rejecting Leeds’ offer of a lucrative new five-year deal.
Bowyer, 25, claimed he needed to leave Elland Road in order to further his career and that he was being pushed out by the board.
The club, though, maintain they are still willing to keep Bowyer if he accepts the terms on offer.
‘‘If he changes his mind and decides to sign the new deal we will be delighted for him to stay,’’ said Ridsdale.
‘‘This is the avenue we have been in exploring in recent days.’’
However, the Elland Road supremo also stressed Bowyer had forced the board’s hand by refusing their offer of an improved deal.
Ridsdale added: ‘‘He decided to reject a new five-year contract.
‘‘Given his current agreement expires in the summer of 2003 we had no option but to place him on the transfer list and seek offers for his services. That is the sole reason for him being transfer listed.
‘‘No player is transfer listed by Leeds United without the full agreement of the board and manager.
‘‘In the wake of Lee’s decision to reject our contract offer we were left with no alternative, but to make him available for transfer.
‘‘It was with massive disappointment that we read Lee Bowyer’s comments about why he is leaving Leeds United. We feel we must correct certain misconceptions.
‘‘As recently as last Thursday I led a boardroom delegation to meet David Geiss, Lee’s adviser, in London.
‘‘Our sincere hope was that we could resolve the contract dispute and persuade Lee to sign the five-year deal that remains on offer.
‘‘We made it absolutely clear, as we always have, that we wanted Lee to stay with Leeds United.
‘‘We have promised Lee all along that this new contract would elevate him to the elite of the highest paid players at Elland Road. We have honoured that promise.
‘‘The manner in which we supported him through the trial at Hull Crown Court, including underwriting his substantial legal costs and the sympathetic way we were looking for those funds to be repaid, was part of recent discussions. We have spoken to Lee about these issues in recent days.’’
Bowyer also believes that the board’s decision to place him on the transfer list was down to the club’s supposed debt.
But Ridsdale insisted: ‘‘There was a simple reason Lee was transfer listed and we publicly
explained to Lee’s advisers around six months ago what would happen if we could not agree a new contract.
‘‘A commercial decision was made that we would not allow any senior player’s contract to expire and create a Bosman situation where they could leave as free agents.
‘‘Lee and his advisers were made aware of this. Lee’s departure is not linked to any policy of reducing debt at the club.’’
Manager David O’Leary admits it would be a ‘‘big disappointment’’ if Leeds sold Bowyer, but seems resigned to losing the player.
‘‘It would be a big disappointment to me,’’ O’Leary told Sky Sports. ‘‘Like every manager I don’t want to lose good players because it is hard enough to get good players in.’’
Asked if Bowyer’s departure was something he would accept, the Leeds’ boss added said: ‘‘I have to.
‘‘That decision is taken above me by the plc board. They are the ones that give the contracts and set the contracts. I have to work with them like the players.’’
