However often Leeds United’s tiresome chairman Professor John McKenzie and the player himself deny it the press seem to be certain that Alan Smith is leaving Elland Road.
And after former Whites boss David O’Leary denied he wanted to take him to Aston Villa, The Sun and Daily Star now claim he is on his way to Newcastle.
Personally I can’t see it happening, Smith’s loyalty to Leeds is not of the Paolo Di Canio badge kissing variety but a genuine love of his home city club, and he recently told Four-Four-Two that he wanted to play his whole career at Elland Road.
If he ever changes his mind I’d be happy to welcome him here as he is a player who at the very least should be on the substitutes bench for the national team, but until them I’ll carry on regarding him as a petulant thug!
Meanwhile The Sunday People claim that we are leading the chase to sign Real Madrid’s former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman.
A player who always seemed to save his best for when we played Liverpool McManaman has turned into a hard working central midfielder at the Santiago Bernabeu, but apparently Real have got a couple of other useful midfielders and want him off their wage bill.
The Scouser is though 31 and with several international midfielders already unable to get into our team it seems unlikely that Sir Bobby will want to bring him to the club.