Leeds chief McDermott rules loan strangers out of his plans

BRIAN MCDERMOTT insists Leeds United will use the loan market this season – but only if any deal is with a view to becoming permanent.
Brian McDermott.Brian McDermott.
Brian McDermott.

The Elland Road chief has brought three new faces to the club this summer but attempts to add to that number in recent weeks have drawn a blank.

With finances tight and McDermott understood to have to get existing fringe players off the wage bill before making any additions, the loan market is an option.

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Asked if he would be willing to go down that route, the United chief said: “I would, though the ideal scenario for me is that if we signed a player on loan, it would be a player who we could actually get at the end of the loan.

“We don’t really want to be having five or six loan players who aren’t Leeds United players so to speak – guys who their club will only send out to play games for the benefit of that club.

“You want a deal where you can loan a player with a view to signing them later.

“I don’t think like that. I honestly don’t. It is like wishing your life away. Let’s see what we can achieve. Let’s see what we can do. We have to do it and everything else is just talk. It is pointless talking about what we can do and what we can’t do.”

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Last season, United brought Alan Tate, Jerome Thomas, Ross Barkley and Habib Habibou to Elland Road on short-term deals before returning to their respective clubs.

Leeds’ new season gets under way at home to Brighton & Hove Albion when a 32,000-plus gate is expected.

Asked who he expects to be challenging for promotion to the Premier League, McDermott said: “It is hard to say. Let’s see after 10 games where we are at.

“You have obviously got the sides coming down from the Premier League. They will have money and they will be thought of in the betting as front-runners.

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“But then there are Bolton, Middlesbrough, Leicester, Nottingham Forest. You can take your pick. There are so many ex-Premier League clubs in this division and Palace came from nowhere (last season).

“Get the job done is a good expression. Whatever way you have to. Just do it.”