IT GETS WORSE AND WORSE

Jonathan Woodgate has made it clear to Leeds United that he wants to leave
Elland Road, after Newcastle yesterday announced they had made a £10m
offer for the centre-half. "We consider it to be a fair price," said Freddie
Shepherd, the Newcastle chairman. "Now we just have to wait for their reply."

An answer is likely within the next 48 hours. Leeds are acutely aware that
Woodgate is tempted by the prospect of leaving a club in decline for one with
Champions League aspirations and, crucially, the Yorkshire club are under
increasing pressure to raise money, a situation exacerbated yesterday after
Middlesbrough said that their £4m move for Seth Johnson had collapsed
because of a failed medical.