Leeds United cool Vydra interest after balking at fresh wage demands

Leeds could walk away from talks to bring Vydra to Elland Road after seeing initial expectations of the 26-year-old’s personal terms rise dramatically in recent talks.

United, who first approached Derby about Vydra’s signature back in May, were encouraged by early discussions and prepared to pay in excess of £30,000 a week to push through the signing of the Championship’s top scorer.

The club are yet to formally finalise a fee with Derby but were likely to meet County’s £11m valuation and secure a player rated highly by new head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Derby, amid financial pressures at Pride Park, are keen to move Vydra on despite his impressive tally of 22 goals last term. Vydra was left out of County’s training camp in Tenerife last week, although manager Frank Lampard blamed his absence on injury.

Vydra’s increased demands, however, could force Leeds to abandon their bid in the latest of several frustrations in this transfer window.

An offer to free agent Abel Hernandez, formerly of Hull City, has gone cold due to the cost of the forward’s financial package and an attempt to sign Birmingham City goalkeeper David Stockdale failed after Birmingham refused to accept United’s offer of a season-long loan.

The dwindling possibility of Stockdale arriving at Elland Road saw Leeds turn their attention to Chelsea’s Jamal Blackman, the keeper who spent last season on loan at Sheffield United, and the club’s failure to make decisive progress with either Hernandez or Vydra is increasing the urgency of their hunt for new strikers.

Leeds are essentially without an out-and-out centre-forward having decided against pursuing a deal to sign German Pierre-Michel Lasogga when his loan from Hamburg finished in May.

Kemar Roofe finished as United’s top scorer last season but Leeds allowed Jay-Roy Grot to leave for Dutch club VVV Venlo on loan last week and Caleb Ekuban has been earmarked for an exit from Elland Road just a year after arriving in England from Chievo.

Sixteen-year-old academy forward Ryan Edmondson, who made his debut on the final debut of last season, is currently training with Bielsa’s senior squad.