Venables gives Bowyer January deadline

Terry Venables will give Lee Bowyer until January to come up with a definitive answer on his Elland Road future.

Bowyer has still not signed a new contract worth in the region of £40,000 a week.

And the Leeds boss wants to know whether to include the midfielder in his long-term plans, with his contract set to expire next summer.

Venables said: "There is going to be a time when I am going to have to make my own plans for the future, because we don't want to be left not knowing late on.

"At some stage I expect I will talk to him again, but I am not looking too soon for that.

"He knows how I feel about it so there is no point driving him mad.

"I just want him to be content and happy to play for the team, and keep his mind free from everything else.

"He will let us know if he has changed his mind. I have had a good chat with him and left it there."

Venables has given Bowyer until January 1 when the transfer window reopens to make his decision.

He added: "The ball is in Lee's court. I am delighted to have him in the squad.

"We are getting a year to prepare ourselves, that is what it is basically about. Hopefully he will stay longer, but that is his decision, not ours."