Fowler re-think may scupper Venables’ plans

LEEDS striker Robbie Fowler’s 11th-hour decision to turn his back on a £7 million move to Manchester City looks set to have major repercussions for Terry Venables.

Fowler stunned Manchester City's legion of supporters yesterday when he turned his back on a four-and-a-half-year contract just 48 hours after agreeing personal terms.

After undergoing a medical, Fowler had been expected to join his new team-mates for training today before making his debut at Kevin Keegan's former club Newcastle on Saturday.

First indications of a hitch surfaced mid-morning, with the 28-year-old's agent George Scott going public with the unexpected twist later in the day.

While Venables was reluctant to let a player of Fowler's calibre leave Elland Road and will appreciate his determination to now give his all for Leeds, the cash from the deal was the key to the 60-year-old's hopes of strengthening his squad.

Rumours that the transfer may be revived by another club Manchester United previously linked with Fowler have been categorically denied by Leeds.

Venables' plans are now up in the air and instead of moving for the likes of Kleberson, Gabriel Milito, Malcolm Christie and Stan Lazaridis it would seem as if the transfer window has slammed shut on him.

The collapse of the Fowler deal means chairman Peter Ridsdale and the Leeds board will have to review their spending strategy, and so loan deals for the rest of this season may be the order of the day.

Venables has previously stated his lack of enthusiasm for such short-term options. But with Leeds in limbo in the Premiership looking up towards the European placings and down at the relegation battle below needs must if United are to attain one and avoid the other.

Kleberson apparently still has his heart set on a move to Leeds. But all hope of a £4 million deal going ahead now appear extinguished, particularly with the Brazilian's club stating they are "far from reaching agreement" with Leeds.

Leeds' director of PR and corporate affairs David Walker met Atletico Paranaense president Mario Celsa Petraglia in Brazil yesterday to discuss a proposed move.

Initial reaction was that the discussions were positive; yet Walker returned yesterday with no deal agreed, despite Kleberson's claims to the contrary in his nation's media.

Kleberson is due for talks with Petraglia to discuss the situation and it may now be Newcastle or Everton, understood to have been monitoring events over the last couple of days, could now be his Premiership destination rather than Leeds.

Venables, meanwhile, will have to revise his thinking on potential targets if he is unable to quickly sell one of Leeds' assets although the likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Alan Smith and Paul Robinson are not for sale.

If there is any substance to reports that the deal was scuppered by actions at the Maine Road end of the failed deal, it would place a huge question mark over Keegan's future.

The former England boss has consistently spoken of his desire to bring European football back to the club when they relocate to the City of Manchester Stadium during the summer and saw Fowler as an important part of those plans.