Leeds face battle to sign Sidwell

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The Whites are keen to sign an experienced midfielder to play in the heart of their midfield this summer, having allowed Jamaican Rudy Austin to leave the club at the end of his contract.

Leeds had been linked with QPR midfielder Joey Barton – himself a free agent after his deal at relegated QPR came to an end – but the Liverpudlian’s week wage demands appear to have made United shelve their interest.

Sidwell, 32, made just five Premier League starts and 12 league appearances in total for the Potters last term and has largely been on the periphery at the Britannia Stadium since joining from Fulham on a free transfer.

But any chance Leeds have of signing the player may well hinge on the Potters’ ability to retain the services of in-demand midfielder Steven N’Zonzi.

The Frenchman has been linked with moves to Liverpool, Tottenham and Sevilla this summer on the back of a brilliant season at the Britannia. With just a year left on his Stoke contract, the Potters are facing a battle to retain his services with the former Blackburn man seemingly reluctant to sign a new deal.

Sidwell is currently also behind Glenn Whelan and Charlie Adam in the Stoke pecking order, but may see his first-team chances improve if Stoke are backed into the sale of N’Zonzi.

Another doubt for Leeds is that London-born Sidwell commutes to Stoke on a daily basis from his bases in the capital and Birmingham and would seemingly be reluctant to up sticks and move to the north.

Sidwell signed a two-year deal with Stoke last summer and has a year left on his Potters deal.