Warnock Begins Leeds Clear-out

Leeds United manager Neil Warnock has said that he intends to release those players that are not part of his plans for next season sooner rather than later to give them the opportunity to sort out their own future.Warnock has promised a clear out of those players who are not part of his long-term plans and he started on Monday by terminating the contracts of Ben Parker and Mika Vayrynen who were both out of contract in the summer.Speaking on Yorkshire Radio, Warnock said, "There is going to be quite a lot of movement over the next few weeks and in the summer."We might as well do things now, when I know they will not form part of my plans. It is going to be the same over the next few weeks. I am going to try to give everybody the opportunity to get themselves fixed up with another club if I am not going to keep them. I have always tried to do that."

The Leeds boss has a number of players out of contract in the summer including Maik Taylor and Lloyd Sam who are currently out on loan with Millwall and Notts County respectively.

There are also a number of players with first team experience this season who are also coming to the end of their current deals at Elland Road.

Aidy White, Michael Brown, Mikael Forssell, Danny Webber and Alex Bruce are out of contract whilst Darren O`Dea and Paul Robinson will come to the end of their loan deals.

Young twins Nathan and Lewis Turner who have yet to feature in the first team for Leeds will also be out of contract after signing their first professional deals last summer.

Lonergan Closing In on Leeds Return

Leeds United goalkeeper Andy Lonergan is closing on a return to the first team following injury.Lonergan hasn`t played since breaking a finger at Doncaster in October but he returned in a midweek in a behind closed doors friendly with Bradford City at Thorp Arch.The goalkeeper enjoyed his return, keeping a clean sheet in a comfortable 3-0 win.Alex McCarthy is only available for next weekend`s game at Watford before coming to the end of his loan period from Reading.The Reading keeper has kept three clean sheets in six appearances since arriving at the club.Veteran keeper Maik Taylor signed a short-term deal with the club in November and has been acting as number two.

Paul Rachubka was loaned out to League One side Tranmere Rovers last month, after suffering a number of disastrous moments between the sticks for Leeds when he first came into the side following Lonergan`s injury.

Leeds Sign Taylor

Leeds have signed Northern Ireland goalkeeper Maik Taylor on a short-term deal.Taylor has been training with Leeds for the last few weeks after being invited to try and win a move to the club.The 40-year-old, who been without a club since the summer after leaving Birmingham at the end of last season, is thought to have impressed during his stint training.Simon Grayson has been looking to bolster his goalkeeping options with Paul Rachubka out of favour and Andy Lonergan currently injured.Alex McCarthy is currently in on-loan from Reading and Grayson has moved to bring in Taylor initially on a two-month deal to provide cover.

Taylor On Trial at Leeds

Veteran goalkeeper Maik Taylor is on trial with Leeds United as Simon Grayson ponders increasing his options.The 40-year-old Northern Ireland international is available as a free agent having been released by Birmingham City at the end of last season.Taylor has already made an immediate impact for the Whites after playing in a behind-closed-doors match against Chelsea at the club's Thorp Arch training ground.The former Barnet, Southampton and Fulham shot-stopper saved a penalty as the hosts secured a 2-1 victory over the Blues.Grayson has already brought in Alex McCarthy on a month's loan from Reading, with Andy Lonergan on the sidelines with a broken finger.The Leeds boss told the club's official website: "Maik is an experienced goalkeeper who has been without a club since the summer."He is available to train and play, and he did very well against Chelsea."We're obviously looking at the goalkeeping situation so we'll see how things develop and what suits both parties."Paul Rachubka is out of favour at Elland Road after his nightmare display against Blackpool, leaving only teenager Alex Cairns as Grayson's other option.