Transfer Rumour Mill - Carlisle keen on Grella and Lubo... Another Alan Smith Rumour... *UPDATE* QPR Fail to Extend Kyle Walker Loan

Greg Abbott has this evening indicated he wishes to keep both Mike Grella and Lubo Michalik:

"We're working away at getting definite answers on our loan players, and with Lubo [Michalik] and Mike [Grella] we have had serious conversations with both."

"With Mike, it looks like Leeds are really keen on him and he has another year after this one on his contract."

"The situation with Lubo is that he is looking to earn himself a deal somewhere, not just for the remainder of this season but for the season after. His contract is up in the summer so he is thinking longer term.

"There is interest in him from elsewhere, I can tell you that now, and we have to be aware of that"

Hopefully, particularly with Lubo this means that we can get rid, and trim a little off the wage budget. With his contract expiring anyway in summer I can't imagine we'd keep him hanging around - he is clearly not part of Grayson's plans.


It's a slightly different situation with Mike Grella - Abbott seems to think we're keen on keeping him but I'm not so sure - with the likes of Somma recently not even making the squad, is Grella even going to come into the periphery of our matchday squad should we decide to retain him? One year remaining on his contract, I say cash in - he probably won't play for Leeds again - unless he starts free-scoring for Carlisle...


The Alan Smith piece that's appeared today (Caughtoffside - Smith to Leeds Speculation) is probably just a website trying to get hits, as Smith seems to be playing bit parts at Newcastle - i.e. not being completely frozen out - and I can't therefore see them wanting to loan him out, unless we contribute massively towards his wages to make it worth their while - which I can't see happening in all reality. 


As a signing he, in my opinion, is exactly what we need and have needed all season really, a battling midfielder - captained Newcastle to a dominant league win last season and would help us push on, at least in the absence of Neil Kilkenny. Fans are divided on him because of his transfer to "scum" but, I believe at the time this was the best move he could have made for the club - as they offered all the money for the transfer to us up front I think I'm right in saying. The benefit he'd bring to our current squad should we be able to get Smith would soon quash any worries fans have about him being "scum".

*UPDATE* 
Spurs have decided against letting QPR extend the loan of full back Kyle Walker (Sky Sports Website)
Great news for us to see a rival losing a key player!