/ 1 December 2003

Leeds not sure about sheikhs

Leeds United said on Monday they had yet to receive a takeover bid since reports that a group of Middle Eastern businessmen were ready to buy into the crisis club.

The Elland Road club are £78-million in debt and warned last week they are on the brink of administration.

Sheikh Abdul bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa of Bahrain said over the weekend he was trying to broker a deal that would see a consortium of Middle Eastern businessmen take over the club.

He claimed a ”positive outcome” was likely in the next week or so.

But Leeds United plc said in a statement: ”The board wishes to make it clear that it has received no bid approach from any party and therefore regards the reports as pure speculation.”

Bottom-of-the-table Leeds won their first match since October when they beat Charlton 1-0 on Saturday to end a run of five successive defeats. — Sapa-AFP