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Young Leeds United midfielder Jonny Howson has agreed a new contract that ties him to Leeds United until 2011.

The deal provides an unusual clause that automatically extends Howson’s contract by a year if Leeds United are promoted to the Championship.

Leeds manager Gary McAllister told the official club website,

“We’re all delighted. He’s a player who has come through the academy and is a local lad.

“He’s got an eye for goal and has a nice mix to his game.

“He has a lot of potential and a lot of ammunition to develop his game and I’m pleased I’ve got the opportunity to help his development.”

The 20-year old made his Leeds United debut versus Barnet in the Carling Cup in September 2006 and has since gone on to be captain of his home-town club twice, score 5 goals and make 46 appearances. He memorably scored both goals in Leeds United League One, play-off semi-final, second-leg, victory at Carlisle United last season and played at the new Wembley in the final against Doncaster Rovers where he came within a whisker of giving United the lead in the first half.

Anthony Elding’s short-stay at Elland Road is set to come to an end this summer as Gary McAllister has said the striker is up for sale.

Leeds United will listen to offers in excess of £250,000 for the former Boston United and Stockport County player, who scored just one goal in nine appearances in the white shirt. In fairness to Elding though he was only given four starts, the rest being sub appearances.

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At Stockport County, in 13 months, he scored 24 league goals in 38 league starts and 7 sub appearances and it is surprising that McAllister isn’t prepared to give him a fair crack of he whip and it may be a decision he will regret if a late bid comes in for Jermaine Beckford in August. Elding doesn’t have to accept a move as he has a contract unitl 2010 as Macca may find he is “stuck” with him.

Elding has suffered the fate of being signed by a manager just as he leaves the club. Dennis Wise signed the prolific Elding from under the noses of Crewe back in January 2008 by gazumping their £200,000 fee which had already been agreed with Elding’s club, Stockport County.

Newly promoted Hereford United are said to have shown interest - Elding scored a penalty against them this season - but many League Two clubs have experienced what he can do against them and so it is just a question of price rather than whether or not he will have suitors.

Crewe are an obvious bidder but may not wish to increase their bid over their original offer to Stockport. However, there is a joker in the pack here as unconfirmed rumours that Leeds United want Crewe’s Nicky Maynard may play a role - a fee of around £500,000 was mentioned at the time for Nicky and Elding could be the makeweight in the deal.

Crewe’s assistant coach has said the club would not consider a bid of one million pounds for Maynard, but we can remember Terry Venables saying Jonathan Woodgate was going nowhere! Assistant coaches don’t decide transfer policy - club directors do - and coaches put up with it or leave!

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This is Crewe Alexandra we are talking about - they have created some of the best players England have had (plus Seth Johnson) in recent years - and sold them - it’s what Crewe does to survive - and it does it well. The great Dario Gradi (now Crewe’s Technical Director) knows that all too well but it seems his coaching successors have not quite got the message.

Nicky Maynard has scored 35 goals in 67 appearances in all competitions for Crewe Alexandra, including 15 goals in 27 appearances last season. However, Maynard is only 21 years old and McAllister’s confirmed targets suggest he is looking to bring in an older, more experienced striker to work with the talented youngsters he already has - just as Freedman did so successfully last season. But if Beckford is whisked away by a late bid don’t rule out an eleventh hour offer for Maynard.

Leeds United Elland Road manager Gary McAllister is offering over £700,000 up front for former Hibs star Derek Riordan, who is currently bench-warming at Celtic Park.

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Derek featured in just eleven games in all competitions for Celtic last season, whereas at Hibs he was a virtual-ever present in the first team, scoring a nearly a goal every two games in the SPL.

It is reported that Celtic want £1m for Riordan whom they signed on a free transfer. Riordan was a hot property two years ago when he signed but having started him in just fifteen games in two season they have devalued their property badly.

Burnley are also being linked to Riordan in the Scottish media but there is little evidence from Turf Moor itself - the rumour seems based mainly on the making of a failed £400,000 bid for Riordan last season. But it is highly unlikely that Burnely see a player who didn’t make a dozen outings last season as even more valuable now!

McAllister sees fellow-Scot Riordan as someone who could set League One alight next season, following the desultory finish to the campaign from Beckford and Kandol, just as Scot Dougie Freedman did at the end of the season. However, at 25 years of age Derek is nine years younger than Freedman but much more experienced than Kandol or Beckford.

Although the accepted “wisdom” is that Burnley are in pole position because of being able to offer Championship football next season, and Riordan is better than a League One standard, it is McAllister who has the transfer funds in place following the Wembley play-off bonus.

Meanwhile, Burnley need to see out the end game of the potential move of their striker Kyle Lafferty to either Wolves or Rangers. With Burnley playing mind-games over the Lafferty valuation and having failed to come up with the transfer money for Riordan last time, Celtic will welcome a decisive bid for the want-away striker who has just 12 months left on his contract.

Of course there are two other factors in the equation - will Riordan’s agent see both his and his client’s financial future better served, long-term at Leeds United or Turf Moor?

And finally, where do you think ex-Leeds captain and current Celtic manager Gordon Strachan would recommend if asked by Riordan?

Matt Heath has moved to Colchester United permanently.

Matt was signed by Dennis Wise in 2007, after a loan spell, but fell out of favour in January 2008. Wise’s successor, Gary McAllister didn’t give him much of a chance before sending him out on loan to the U’s in March.

Despite relegation from the Championship, Colchester have decided to make Matt a permanent fixture at Layer Road and he becomes the first departure from Elland Road this summer.

Matty told BBC Essex,

“It was a pretty easy decision to be honest, having been playing down here for the past couple of weeks whilst on loan. For them to show interest in wanting to sign me made it pretty easy.”

Matt Heath’s career record to date can be found here - Matt Heath Leeds United Playing Record