 |
Ross McCormack |
Position |
Striker |
P.O.B. |
Glasgow, Scotland |
D.O.B |
18/08/86 |
Height |
5' 09 |
Club |
Leeds United |
His
Wikipedia
Page |
A £5m bid from Championship rivals Fulham for Ross McCormack will await Massimo Cellino at Elland Road tomorrow as Leeds United's owner faces up to mounting interest in the club's captain.
The Cottagers submitted the offer on Thursday, bringing McCormack's future back into the spotlight with the start of United's pre-season training just two weeks away.
United have not yet commented on the bid but a £5m proposal is likely to signal the start of a concerted effort by several teams to sign McCormack.
The bid materialised after two days of speculation linking Derby County - last season's losing play-off finalists - and recently-relegated Norwich City with the 27-year-old Scotland international.
Leeds are still considering Thursday's offer from the London club but are expected to reject it, with Cellino understood to value McCormack at closer to £7m.
The Italian, who bought United at the start of April, is reluctant to lose the striker after his 29 goals for the club last season but he is also unwilling to raise McCormack's salary further, less than 12 months after the captain signed a new four-year contract.
Premier League interest in the ex-Rangers trainee became apparent in January when West Ham and Cardiff City bid for him, and Newcastle United made an enquiry about McCormack at the beginning of last week.
Cellino claimed to have turned down a formal offer from St James' Park, a claim which Newcastle moved quickly to deny, but the 57-year-old businessman spoke again of his desire to keep McCormack at Leeds, saying: "Newcastle made an offer for McCormack and I said 'no'.
"He is happy to stay here and that made me proud."
Despite their approach in January, Cardiff are not behind the latest bid for McCormack.
Both Fulham and Norwich, hold the financial advantage of parachute payments after dropping out of the Premier League in May and City have routinely looked to Elland Road for signings in the past three years.