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Cranie’s prospects of securing a permanent move to Leeds United were in the balance today after the defender chose to sit out Saturday’s friendly against Preston North End.
Cranie took the decision to miss United’s 3-1 win at Deepdale with he and Leeds still to agree a contract and Cranie reluctant to gamble his fitness so close to the start of the Football League season.
The 25-year-old has been a free agent since leaving Coventry City at the end of last season and he has battled patiently for a deal with Leeds, featuring repeatedly in friendlies and taking part in both the club’s pre-season tour of Devon and Cornwall and their match against Sandefjord in Norway last week.
Manager Neil Warnock, who has described Cranie as a “squad playerâ€, planned to use him for the sixth game running at Preston but said he had no argument with Cranie’s concern about sustaining an injury which would affect his chances of finding a club before the new season starts.
Warnock planned to hold further talks with Cranie yesterday and said: “In fairness to him he can’t afford to get injured in a game like that. I understood his reasoning.
“It was his decision and I respected that. He didn’t want to risk getting injured so close to the start of the season and I couldn’t guarantee him a contract.â€