LUFC Gradel wasn't Grayson's priority!

Simon Grayson says he will sit down with Max Gradel to negotiate a new deal very shortly.

The clubs player of the year is moving into the final year of his current contract and he has been the target of many clubs during the summer months.

Gradel, who scored 18 goals last season as always stated that he`s enjoying life at Leeds United but once again the club are running the risk of losing a player on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Since Grayson`s arrival, Leeds have been embroiled in contract conflict, with three players leaving after running down their contracts at the club.

Star striker Jermaine Beckford left in the summer of 2010 as a free agent after negotiations between the club and Beckford broke down in the previous summer.

Over the following twelve months, Beckford was placed on the transfer list, only for it to be withdrawn. In January, he then put in a transfer request only for that to be withdrawn by the player, before he joined Everton on a free transfer last summer.

As if Leeds hadn`t learnt their lesson, the same scenario followed with Bradley Johnson last season. The midfielder was placed on the transfer list in November after turning down a new deal with the club, before he also left for free to join Norwich this summer.

Fellow midfielder Neil Kilkenny also left on a free transfer this summer to join Bristol City, after his contract ran out at the end of June.

It seems Leeds are once again playing a dangerous game, by not getting Gradel sorted out, sooner rather than later.

The tricky winger was in scintillating form last season and surely, a new offer should have been put to Gradel in the New Year rather than into his final season.

Gradel spoke out recently, saying that he cannot sign a new contract until a new one is offered to him.

Grayson states that the club have been busier trying to bring in new players ahead of the new season and that talks with Gradel have not been his main priority.

Speaking in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Grayson said, "There has been contact between his representatives and the club.
"We stressed to him a couple of weeks ago that it`s time-consuming getting agents over from foreign countries and our main aim at the moment is to bring new players in. You try to get the right balance but I`m sure there`ll be negotiations very shortly between Max, his representatives and the club."

Let us hope that we don`t head down the same round again. Gradel is still young, still learning and needs to be part of Leeds future.



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