Toon claim to have made Woodgate bid

Newcastle claim they have tabled a bid for Leeds defender Jonathan Woodgate - but the Yorkshire club have denied receiving one.

The Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd insists his club have put the ball firmly in Leeds’ court as they attempt to sign the Middlesbrough-born defender.

Shepherd told the Yorkshire Post: “I can confirm that Newcastle United have made a bid for Jonathan Woodgate and would consider it to be a fair price.

“We are now waiting for Leeds United to respond. However, we are not prepared to get involved in their internal politics.”

Leeds have maintained that no bid has been made for Woodgate by anyone as they seek to raise funds from elsewhere rather than sell off the England centre-back.