Leeds star set for Premier move rather than switch to the Tigers

The 24-year-old will be out of contract next month after turning down a new deal towards the end of last year.

Further negotiations have failed to find a breakthrough and Johnson’s agent has informed Leeds that the player plans to leave after receiving several offers.

According to his agent, two of those offers have come from Premier League sides – meaning Hull City, who first registered their interest in Johnson last November when they proposed a swap involving Caleb Folan going to Elland Road, are likely to be left frustrated in their attempts to sign the former Northampton man on a free transfer.

West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City are believed to be the two Premier League clubs interested in Johnson.

Leeds manager Simon Grayson said: “It is disappointing that it looks like Bradley won’t be re-signing. We felt we made the player a suitable offer.

“I would like to thank Bradley for his contribution while I have been here, but the contractual situation that we work in nowadays means the players have the ability to make choices such as this.

“This is a situation we wanted resolving as a club because we are looking to next season and planning ahead.”

Leeds have been linked in Lancashire with a move for Oldham Athletic midfielder Dale Stephens.

Meanwhile, chairman Ken Bates is hoping Huddersfield Town triumph in this weekend’s League One play-off final against Peterborough United to provide Leeds with another two derby games next season.

He said: “I watched the play-off semi-final between Huddersfield and Bournemouth and it was a magnificently exciting game. They have now got Peterborough to beat and, yes, I would like Huddersfield to win.

“It would be another Yorkshire team. We have lost two recently in Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United so it will be nice having a neighbour.

“They have got big ideas about themselves, too, so it will be nice to test them on the pitch. It would really spice up the Championship, especially as far as we are concerned.

“If you think about it, next year we will definitely have Middlesbrough, Burnley, Blackpool, Doncaster Rovers, Barnsley, Hull City and, hopefully, Huddersfield Town so there are quite a few derbies and neighbourly games.

“They should spice the competition up for us.”