Opinion divided over Viduka's future

Mark Viduka’s agent and Leeds today remained at odds over the striker’s future with chairman Professor John McKenzie insisting he wants Australian to remain at the club.

Viduka’s agent Andrea D’Amico has fuelled speculation that the Australian striker is poised to become the latest big name to leave Leeds, saying: “Mark is a top player and it’s important that he’s playing at a top club next season.”

But the player has not handed in a transfer request and McKenzie today said he wants Viduka to commit himself to the club.

McKenzie said: “We’ve not had a formal request for a transfer from Mark. As I’ve said all along I am committed to keeping Mark at the football club.

“He’s on a long contract and I am expecting him to turn up the heat on our opponents just as he did last season.”

Meanwhile, the referee whose leniency in a pre-season friendly against York saved Viduka from a three-game ban has been charged by the Football Association.

Referee Alan Kaye signalled to the Leeds bench to substitute Viduka after the Aussie striker clashed with York centre-half Andrew Jordan.

The FA expect any player who commits a red card offence in a pre-season friendly to be sent off and had Viduka been given his marching orders he would have faced a three-match ban at the start of the Premiership season.

An FA spokesman said: “Mr Kaye has been charged by the FA for less than proficiently applying the laws of the game. Special instructions were issued to officials about certain incidents and obviously the refereeing department of the FA feel these have not been followed.”