Agent reveals huge Leeds transfer news: Would have been biggest move in club's history

[RoterTeufel]

Agent reveals huge Leeds transfer news: Would have been biggest move in club'shistory


 
LEEDS made tentative enquiries to sign Diego Maradona in the eighties, super agent Jon Smith has revealed.
 
The Argentine superstar was then playing for Napoli in Serie A when Leeds chief Peter Risdale made advances.
 
 Risdale and managing director Bill Fotherby met Smith, who was Maradona's agent, for talks in 1987.
 
 Smith didn't give a definitive response but it didn't stop club chiefs allegedly leaking details of their discussions to the press.
 
 Writing in his new book The Deal, Smith said: "I thought I was just chatting amongst friends before the conversation took an unexpected turn.
 
 "'How's Diego?' asked Peter.
 
 "'He's fine. We're doing a few bits and pieces with him. We helped get him his Coke deal - the black stuff, not the white stuff - and although we aren't that close to him, we're inside the camp.'
 
 "'Ok. Think he'd sign for Leeds?'   
 
 "I was taken aback. 'Er... probably not. The weather isn't quite as good as Naples for starters.'
 
 "'Yeah, but if we paid him a lot of money? And we arranged a big house, spared no expense, that sort of thing, what about then?'
 
 "'I don't really know. Maybe.' I thought no more of it.
 
 "But from that one answer, they leaked story after story to the press about how Maradona was weighing up a move to Leeds."