Leeds United boss Steve Evans: 'We want Lewis Cook to stay'

Steve Evans has insisted that he is eager to keep reported Bournemouth transfer target Lewis Cook at Leeds United.

Recent speculation had claimed that Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe was readying an £8m offer for the 18-year-old midfielder.

While Evans admitted that he was not surprised to learn of the interest in his player, he stressed that the Yorkshire club do not want him to leave during this month's transfer window.

"It doesn't surprise me that Eddie Howe is interested in Lewis. He's got absolutely everything. He's 18 and Man of the Match in a lot of games in the Championship. He's a smashing kid off the pitch and I'm not surprised there's interest from a level above," the Leeds head coach told Sky Sports News.

"From a Leeds United point of view, we want to keep him in the door and as the coach I want to keep him as well because he's so influential in what we want to achieve between the next four and five months and beyond."

England youth international Cook has risen through the ranks at Leeds, having joined the club as a trainee in 2004.