The lawyers of Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino have informed Leeds Fans United that he no longer wishes to sell the club to them.
The Italian confirmed last week that he was willing to sell the Championship club to the supporters' group after he was disqualified by the Football League under its owners' and directors' test.
It appears that Cellino has now had a change of heart, but Leeds Fans United have insisted that they are still keen to push through a deal.
"Leeds Fans United has just been informed by the lawyers of Massimo Cellino that he no longer wishes to sell to Leeds fans. Our insistence on him confirming his verbal offer of exclusivity in a legally binding agreement has forced transparency on his motives. It is much better that we identify this insincerity now before we spend our shareholder's money," the group said in a statement.
"This exercise has proved our capacity to adapt to any acquisition scenario very quickly. We now know we have the capacity to do both a minority and majority deal, and it has shown that Leeds fans have a desire for fan ownership.
"We hope that Massimo will treat the club and fans with respect and honour."
Cellino has been owner of Leeds since 2014.
Steven Toplis
