apparently......
LEEDS UNITED have been linked in Spain with an unlikely £10 million bid for Valencia defender Roberto Ayala. The 28-year-old centre back did not play at all in the World Cup after tearing his thigh muscle on the eve of Argentina's opener against Nigeria. This proved to be a devastating blow for the player and his country as Marcelo Bielsa's side looked rudderless and vulnerable without their inspirational captain. Ayala skippered to Valencia to the Spanish title last term but is keen to leave la Liga after failing to be rewarded with a new contract. The respected Marca newspaper in Spain, claims that Leeds have lined up the player to replace their current captain Rio Ferdinand. Though Leeds manager David O'Leary has said he does not want to sell Ferdinand, especially not to Manchester United, he has admitted he may have his hand forced by the club's plc board if they received a bid in excess of £30 million. If a move does go through then Ayala, an experienced defender with club and country, would be a superb replacement for a third of the fee though it remains to be seen whether he would favour a switch to Elland Road. With Leeds not being able to offer the player Champions League football, he is more likely to opt for a switch to a Serie A side with Manchester United being his most likely destination if he is keen on a switch to The Premiership. Indeed, only recently Ayala has claimed that The Red Devils have expressed their interest in him and he said there was a "better than evens chance" of him linking up with countryman Juan Sebastian Veron next season.
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surely this speculation regarding Stam and Ayala means Leeds are virtually resigned to losing Rio ?
Wouldn't bother me if Leeds signed both of them to be honest, seems we're not interested in Ayala anymore anyway.
LEEDS UNITED have been linked in Spain with an unlikely £10 million bid for Valencia defender Roberto Ayala. The 28-year-old centre back did not play at all in the World Cup after tearing his thigh muscle on the eve of Argentina's opener against Nigeria. This proved to be a devastating blow for the player and his country as Marcelo Bielsa's side looked rudderless and vulnerable without their inspirational captain. Ayala skippered to Valencia to the Spanish title last term but is keen to leave la Liga after failing to be rewarded with a new contract. The respected Marca newspaper in Spain, claims that Leeds have lined up the player to replace their current captain Rio Ferdinand. Though Leeds manager David O'Leary has said he does not want to sell Ferdinand, especially not to Manchester United, he has admitted he may have his hand forced by the club's plc board if they received a bid in excess of £30 million. If a move does go through then Ayala, an experienced defender with club and country, would be a superb replacement for a third of the fee though it remains to be seen whether he would favour a switch to Elland Road. With Leeds not being able to offer the player Champions League football, he is more likely to opt for a switch to a Serie A side with Manchester United being his most likely destination if he is keen on a switch to The Premiership. Indeed, only recently Ayala has claimed that The Red Devils have expressed their interest in him and he said there was a "better than evens chance" of him linking up with countryman Juan Sebastian Veron next season.
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surely this speculation regarding Stam and Ayala means Leeds are virtually resigned to losing Rio ?
Wouldn't bother me if Leeds signed both of them to be honest, seems we're not interested in Ayala anymore anyway.