Steve Evans has insisted that although he wants talented youngsters such as Lewis Cook to remain at Leeds United, the talents' contract situations are being dealt with the senior personnel at the club.
Cook, who has heavily featured for the Whites in the current campaign, was linked with a move away from the Yorkshire giants during the winter transfer window, with Premier League outfit Bournemouth interested in snapping him up.
However, Leeds managed to hold onto their academy product, whose present contract runs until the summer of 2017.
But it was reported in some corners that the Elland Road outfit may still have to lose Cook next summer due to a release clause in the player’s contract, with Leeds later blasting those reports.
On the other hand, Cook’s agent denied being in talks with Leeds over a new deal for his client, despite Evans having stated that was indeed the case.
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And Evans explained that he is keen to keep young players such as Cook at the club for the long term, but has left the contract talks to the Leeds hierarchy.
“A hundred per cent I don’t know”, he said in his pre-match press conference yesterday, when asked about the contract situations of the youngsters.
“My hundred per cent thoughts are that they are good players and I want to work with them.
“But I have to leave the senior people at the football club deal with their business, which is contracts.”
Cook has thus far made 34 appearances in all competitions for the Yorkshire giants this season, scoring twice and providing as many assists.
