Leeds United news: Former Whites star laments lost Premier League years as United eye Barcelona loanee

Former Whites star laments lost Premier League years

Ex-Leeds United defender Tony Dorigo insisted that the Whites could rise again after the setback of a 16-year Premier League exile.

Dorigo was part of the United side who lifted the club's last top-flight title thirty years ago in 1992 and has since retained his association with the club, acting as co-commentator for LUTV as the Whites confirmed their return to the Premier League in 2020 after a lengthy spell in the lower divisions.

Following Leeds' brush with relegation this season, Dorigo has explained how the club's history affects its present.

"If you’re talking about fans and potential, then we absolutely have the ability to be a massive club," Dorigo said.

"I can’t stress enough that being outside of the top league for 16 years has put us so far behind in lots of ways.

"The ownership will want to be bigger and better, we’re on that journey, but it’s always a knife’s edge - how much you invest in things like the stadium versus making sure we have a team out there worthy of Premier League status.

"We saw how close we came to losing it last season."

Read Tony Dorigo's latest column in full here.

Leeds United academy graduate among those recognised in Queen's birthday honours

Leeds United academy James Milner has been awarded an MBE in recognition of his services to football and charity.

The Liverpool man, who was born in Wortley, has put time off the pitch aside into fundraising efforts to support the NSPCC, Blood Cancer UK, Help for Heroes and the MND Association.

The achievement is well deserved, according to Milner's former Leeds teammate Dominic Matteo.

“When he came in at Leeds, when I was made captain, it felt straight away like he had something about him,” Matteo told the YEP.

“He was above his years, already a man even though he was still growing up.

"He was absorbing everything we tried to tell him and we knew it was a special talent."

Read the full story here.

United eye Barcelona loanee

Leeds United remain interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Adama Traoré, according to 90min.

The Spaniard scored one goal in 20 Premier League appearances for the Midlands side this season before departing Molineux on loan to Barcelona in January.

After contributing assists on his first two starts for the Spanish giants, the winger's La Liga contribution has since been confined for the most part to appearances from the bench.

Should the Whites choose to pursue Traoré, they will reportedly have to fight Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United for his signature.

Read the latest transfer rumours from around the Premier League here.