DEAL AND IT'S COBBLERS FOR LEON Next Story | Previous Story | Back to list 15:00 - 16 January 2007 Port Vale manager Martin Foyle will expect 18-goal striker Leon Constantine to train with the club's youth team if he fails to agree a move to Barnsley today. Foyle is waiting for his top-scorer to accept a switch to the Championship club to trigger a deal which should see Tykes striker Marc Richards and £125,000 move in the opposite direction. Vale's first-team squad have their day off tomorrow, but Foyle wants Constantine back in training as he plans to play him in Saturday's home game against Northampton if the transfer hasn't been completed. He wants to make sure Constantine is fit after missing Vale's last four games because of a knee injury. He said: "If I don't hear anything that is 75 per cent concrete today then Leon will be in tomorrow. "He knows he will come and train with the kids, and we will look forward to Saturday because I will throw him in. "It is not a punishment, it's simply because he hasn't played for four games." Foyle believes he is close to agreeing personal terms with 24-year-old Richards. He is also waiting to hear from Crewe's Luke Rodgers after holding talks with the striker yesterday. Rodgers is also considering a higher offer from League One rivals Leyton Orient, but in Vale's favour is the fact he would prefer to stay in the Midlands area. Foyle is keen to land both strikers to replace Constantine, who is out of contract in the summer. He needs firepower if Constantine goes as the hit-man has bagged 30 goals in 67 games since signing from Torquay for £20,000 in November 2005. Vale chairman Bill Bratt remained hopeful of sealing the deals today. He said: "Leon hasn't managed to agree terms with Barnsley yet, but the deal hasn't collapsed. "There is always going to be a bit of wrangling in these situations, and when there are three players involved it complicates matters."
"There is always going to be a bit of wrangling in these situations, and when there are THREE players involved it complicates matters." 3 players?
Constantine, Richards and Rogers from Crewe. They won't release Constantine without the other 2 agreeing terms first.
RE: LEON IN THE MIRE? but this is an interesting setence Vale chairman Bill Bratt remained hopeful of sealing the deals today. He said: "<u>Leon hasn't managed to agree terms with Barnsley yet</u>, but the deal hasn't collapsed.
