Kewell said to be seeking 'loyalty' payment from Leeds

Harry Kewell and Leeds are understood to be locked in talks designed to iron out a snag which has held up a £7m move to Liverpool.

Kewell had been expected to sign for Liverpool today, going so far as to say his goodbyes to his Leeds team-mates and boss Peter Reid at the club’s Thorp Arch training complex yesterday.

The 24-year-old had also given an interview to Australian television in which he was due to exclusively reveal his chosen destination after months of speculation and deliberation.

But Channel 9 were left red-faced as “an 11th-hour hitch” forced them to air only brief highlights of the item, without revealing Kewell’s club of choice.

The transfer is on ice at present for Kewell, who still has a year left on his current Leeds deal, as he is believed to be seeking a loyalty payment in respect of that.

Cash-strapped Leeds have baulked at the request, forcing agent Bernie Mandic to try and reach a compromise so the move can go ahead in time for Kewell to link up with the rest of the Liverpool squad heading to a Swiss training camp on Thursday.

Kewell has already claimed that after talking to Liverpool “for over six months... everything just seems to be right for me to go there”.

In further revelations, he added: “I’m not going to change my mind and hopefully they don’t change theirs.”

Leeds manager Peter Reid, although understandably unhappy at losing a player of Kewell’s class, will be hoping any problems are resolved so he can finally start to make his own moves in the transfer market.

Reid is in need of the Kewell cash to fund approaches for the likes of Julian Gray, who is a natural replacement for Kewell as he operates on the left wing.

Gray, who recently snubbed the offer of a new contract from Crystal Palace, is to join in with the start of pre-season training at Leeds tomorrow.

It is understood the 23-year-old will cost United a nominal fee of around £500,000 as he does not fall into the Bosman category, although other clubs are known to be keeping an eye on his situation.

All but three players – Danny Mills, Ian Harte and Stephen McPhail – will return to training as planned tomorrow due to their international commitments at the end of the season.

Kewell, though, may not be the only Australian leaving Elland Road this summer for Paul Okon is hankering after a move unless his situation improves under Reid.

A regular under former boss Terry Venables last season after recovering from injury, Okon then failed to wear a Whites shirt again after just one match of Reid’s reign.

Midfielder Okon has been linked with Ancona and a return to Italy where he played for Lazio and Fiorentina, and he said: “I would love to go back to Italy.

“If I had the opportunity I would definitely take it. My name has been linked there.

“I don’t know if there’s any truth in it, but I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t jump at the opportunity if it came again. I would love another crack at Serie A.

“But at the moment I have a contract for the next two years so I will be turning up for pre-season with Leeds United.

“But as we all know the game has changed today and you can be with one club one day and with another the next.

“I really don’t know what will happen but hopefully things will be sorted out very soon.

“I would like to be playing again, but it seemed when Peter Reid took over that that was not going to happen.”