Football: Leeds have to spend pounds 3m to secure Deane: Striker returns to his roots after deal close to British transfer record

TWENTY-FOUR hours after the failure of their protracted public pursuit of Duncan Ferguson, Leeds United last night agreed to pay in the region of pounds 3m for Sheffield United's England striker, Brian Deane.

The Leeds chairman, Leslie Silver, claimed that the figure was close to the British record transfer fee of pounds 3.3m, which Blackburn lavished on Southampton's Alan Shearer last summer. Silver added that it was 'certainly in excess of our record' - the pounds 2m spent on David Rocastle a year ago.

Earlier in the day, Sheffield had rejected a pounds 2.5m bid from Elland Road for the Leeds-born Deane, but an improved offer was accepted.

'Brian has shown enthusiasm and desire to play for Leeds, and that's something we were concerned about with Ferguson,' Silver said. 'He is a Leeds boy and his home is here, so we were delighted that our possible problem position is solved and that one of our wandering gypsies is back home.'

Deane, 25, spent five years at Bramall Lane after joining from Doncaster for pounds 30,000, scoring 83 goals in 197 League games.

Silver hinted that Leeds would not pursue their interest in Sampdoria's Des Walker. 'Since late last season we've acquired a right-back (David Kerslake), a goalkeeper (Mark Beeney) and a central defender (David O'Leary). We hope now the picture is complete.'

Four Premier League clubs have made offers for David Platt, according to Juventus, though the England midfielder wants to remain in Italy for a further two years. West Ham have offered pounds 600,000 for Rangers' former Norwich winger, Dale Gordon. Gary Bull, one of 11 players awarded free transfers from Barnet by the Football League, is considering offers from West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

Tottenham's summer of upheaval continued yesterday when Ray Clemence, who ran the side in tandem with Doug Livermore last season, was ousted to make way for the return of Steve Perryman.

Clemence, the former England goalkeeper, said he had been told by the new manager, Ossie Ardiles, that he was 'basically surplus to requirements' after 12 years at the club. Passing him in White Hart Lane's revolving doors was Perryman, who will work as assistant to Ardiles, having resigned as Watford's manager on Monday.

'You don't expect to be sacked after a reasonably successful year when the team were playing well,' Clemence said. 'The club is in a good position and I'm bitterly disappointed that I'm no longer a part of it.' Livermore will continue as first- team coach and chief scout.

Ian Wright has been charged by the Football Asociation with bringing the game into disrepute. The charge concerns a gesture made by the Arsenal striker to a linesman during the FA Cup final replay. Match officials were unaware of Wright's action, but the FA have acted following complaints by television viewers.

Jean-Pierre Bernes, the general secretary of Marseille, was detained yesterday in the medical wing of Loos Prison, Valenciennes, France, and is now the fifth person to be charged with corruption over allegations that the European champions 'fixed' a match against Valenciennes in May. Bernes, recently treated for depression, was described by his lawyer as 'a broken man'; he denies involvement in bribery.