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Mark Viduka has decided to stay with his club Leeds United for a further five years.
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- NEWS</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr> <tr> <td height=33 width=490>Friday, July 6, 2001</td></tr> <tr> <td width=490><!-----Page Body----->Viduka pledges future to Leeds with new deal
By John Edwards
Leeds have seen off Inter Milan and a host of other top European sides by securing Mark Viduka's signature on a new long-term contract. <table align=right border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width=155> <tbody> <tr> <td rowspan=2 width=5><SPACER type="block" width="5" height="1"></td> <td width=150>
</td></tr> <tr> <td>Mark Viduka: Has new deal
(AlexLivesey/Allsport)</td></tr></tbody></table>After battling to keep Viduka from the clutches of Real Madrid and AC Milan last season, David O'Leary's side faced a new threat from Inter last month. The fallen Italian giants prepared for the arrival of Hector Cuper as manager and departure of striker Christian Vieri in a big-money move to Juventus by earmarking the Leeds frontrunner as their prime transfer target. But they were forced to concede defeat yesterday when Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale emerged from talks with Viduka's accountant Rudi Horvat with confirmation that the £6million signing from Celtic had pledged his future to Elland Road. Viduka added another 12 months to his Leeds agreement, tying himself to the club for five years in all, and increased his weekly earnings from £20,000 to £25,000. Ridsdale said: 'It is a massive boost for everyone at the club as we prepare to go into another exciting season. Getting Mark to agree this new deal, on the back of Olivier Dacourt and Ian Harte signing new contracts, shows we can keep our talented squad together. 'There was big interest in Mark from major European clubs but I don't believe he ever wanted to leave us. 'The key to it all was coming up with the deal he wanted. We have done that, and it demonstrates to Mark that we continue to be as ambitious as he is. 'The bottom line is that Mark has settled in tremendously well since joining us from Celtic a year ago. He loves the environment here and, more importantly, he loves playing in this team. 'He will put pen to paper next week, but he has assured me the deal is done.' Ridsdale's recent series of breakthroughs in contract negotiations represents a triple setback for Inter, who had set their sights on a £40m raid for Viduka, Dacourt, Harte and goalkeeper Paul Robinson. Former Valencia boss Cuper has been promised a transfer fortune in an effort to revive Inter's fortunes but must now look elsewhere after Ridsdale succeeded in keeping O'Leary's youthful squad intact.
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By John Edwards
Leeds have seen off Inter Milan and a host of other top European sides by securing Mark Viduka's signature on a new long-term contract. <table align=right border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width=155> <tbody> <tr> <td rowspan=2 width=5><SPACER type="block" width="5" height="1"></td> <td width=150>
(AlexLivesey/Allsport)</td></tr></tbody></table>After battling to keep Viduka from the clutches of Real Madrid and AC Milan last season, David O'Leary's side faced a new threat from Inter last month. The fallen Italian giants prepared for the arrival of Hector Cuper as manager and departure of striker Christian Vieri in a big-money move to Juventus by earmarking the Leeds frontrunner as their prime transfer target. But they were forced to concede defeat yesterday when Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale emerged from talks with Viduka's accountant Rudi Horvat with confirmation that the £6million signing from Celtic had pledged his future to Elland Road. Viduka added another 12 months to his Leeds agreement, tying himself to the club for five years in all, and increased his weekly earnings from £20,000 to £25,000. Ridsdale said: 'It is a massive boost for everyone at the club as we prepare to go into another exciting season. Getting Mark to agree this new deal, on the back of Olivier Dacourt and Ian Harte signing new contracts, shows we can keep our talented squad together. 'There was big interest in Mark from major European clubs but I don't believe he ever wanted to leave us. 'The key to it all was coming up with the deal he wanted. We have done that, and it demonstrates to Mark that we continue to be as ambitious as he is. 'The bottom line is that Mark has settled in tremendously well since joining us from Celtic a year ago. He loves the environment here and, more importantly, he loves playing in this team. 'He will put pen to paper next week, but he has assured me the deal is done.' Ridsdale's recent series of breakthroughs in contract negotiations represents a triple setback for Inter, who had set their sights on a £40m raid for Viduka, Dacourt, Harte and goalkeeper Paul Robinson. Former Valencia boss Cuper has been promised a transfer fortune in an effort to revive Inter's fortunes but must now look elsewhere after Ridsdale succeeded in keeping O'Leary's youthful squad intact.
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