Leeds United fans trust Massimo Cellino to honour sale pledge

Massimo Cellino, left, has said he will stay away from Leeds games having indicated he will sell to a fans’ group (PA)

Leeds United’s new head coach, Steve Evans, has welcomed news a supporters’ group is planning to buy a controlling stake in the club – but admitted he was unlikely to discuss the sale with controversial owner Massimo Cellino.

Leeds Fans Utd (LFU) announced that it hopes to agree a “period of exclusivity” with Cellino, who said last week he would sell the club to the fans’ group for no profit.

Cellino declared his intention to stay away from games in the latest sign that his time at the club is coming to an end. Leeds fans have become increasingly frustrated with the Italian and vented their anger during last Thursday’s 2-0 home defeat by Blackburn.

“I think when fans are involved in any shape or form in a football club it can only be a good thing,” said Evans before adding he was more concerned about ending Leeds’ eight-month wait for a home win against Cardiff tonight.

“The off-field matters, 100 per cent I don’t talk to him about it because I don’t want to get involved in hearing any particular side,” Evans added. “I heard from a journalist and I can’t get involved in who runs Leeds United. I just get on with the job of managing the team and the dressing room.

“I’ve always said my job is not to get involved in any shape or form with what happens off the pitch. That’s a decision left for the owner and of course if the supporters are involved it’s left to them, they are after all the lifeblood of any club.”

The LFU chief executive, Dylan Thwaites, is currently in talks with Cellino, who bought the club in April last year, but there are reports other potential bidders have expressed an interest.

It is understood Cellino wants to leave a “legacy” at the end of a tumultuous time in charge and Thwaites hopes to have a period of exclusivity agreed soon.

“At our meeting on Friday, Massimo was absolutely clear that he was only selling to fans,” said Thwaites. “This clearly gives us an exclusive position. Of course, as professionals we need this signing and we expect to have that shortly.”

Cellino’s reign at Elland Road has been littered with about-turns and outspoken outbursts, lending weight to the theory the 59-year-old could decide to sell the club to someone other than the fans.Thwaites, though, believes the former Cagliari owner will be a man of his word.

“I think he will have noted the massive upturn in positivity that his decision to sell to us has created and will not want Leeds United to return to the dark place it was in just a few days ago.”

Cellino is currently fighting a second Football League disqualification for a tax evasion offence in Italy while he has three further criminal cases to face.