Bates hits out as Delph stays

Published: 04/02/2009

Ken Bates could not resist taking a swipe at certain sections of the media after the transfer window closed without any further bids for teenage midfielder Fabian Delph.

The 19-year-old England Under-21 international has been linked with a multi-million pound move to various Premier League clubs, but the Leeds chairman remains adamant his prized asset was never going anywhere.

Bates told Yorkshire Radio: "I don't know what the Mirror will write about now seeing as they've been at it all month. Sky were banging on about Leeds fans expecting a tremendous price as well. Nothing happened, so now it's suggested 'at least until the summer'.

"The last time I looked at his contract he is with us until 2012. Why should he go anywhere this summer? Or the summers after that?

"I had a chat with him after the Peterborough game. He's at home at Leeds, we want to look after him and we will look after him and support him.

"He's happy at Leeds and has an agent who is more interested in looking after him than he is making a fast buck."