United players not for sale
Casper AnkergrenIf the entrance to Elland Road will be left ajar throughout next month's transfer window, managers sniffing around Leeds United's squad can expect to find the exit bolted.
An influx of players to match the seven who joined United at this stage of last season seems improbable, and Dennis Wise's approach to the market will be more targeted than far-reaching. His policy on out-goings is equally simple - United's most influential players are not for sale.
A bid from Crystal Palace for Shaun Derry is increasingly likely after his loan at Selhurst Park which has coincided with a six-match unbeaten run, and Wise may be willing to trim his midfield unless the severity of Jonathan Douglas' knee injury dictates otherwise. Other approaches will be less welcome, though United will prepare for them nonetheless.
Interest in Jermaine Beckford has been driven by his 13 goals this season. Wise might also find that Casper Ankergren is catching attention across the country. Any club in need of a new goalkeeper cannot fail to be impressed by a man who has not lost a league fixture at home in almost 12 months with Leeds.
His unbeaten record at Elland Road has grown to 17 matches, and will increase once more if United take a positive result from Bristol Rovers' visit on Saturday. The sequence began with Leeds' 2-1 victory over Palace on February 10 and has reeled in 45 points from a possible 51. It is all the more impressive when the afflictions that troubled Leeds during the 2006-07 campaign are considered.
This season Ankergren has conceded 13 league goals, and of the goalkeeping fraternity in League One, only Nottingham Forest's Paul Smith has been more protective. Having worked so hard to recruit the Dane in August, United will cling tightly to him next month
Ankergren said: "It doesn't really matter what happens because I wouldn't leave for anywhere else. I'm very happy and I'll definitely be staying.
"The club wasn't in a good position last season but that didn't stop me from wanting to come back. All the way through the summer I had Leeds on my mind, and I'd have been distraught if I'd had to go somewhere else.
"It was always a dream of mine to play in England. Everybody says that but I like the style of football they play here and I like how passionate the fans in England are. It was tough at first but something good is happening here now.
"At this age, I felt it was very important for me to try something different - to challenge myself by going somewhere outside of Denmark. For seven years I played there and it was a good time for a change last season, and a good time for me to take on the challenge.
"In the summer I knew I wanted to come back to Leeds, and I'm really happy here. I definitely hope I'll stay here for a long time - I never planned to come here for a short while."
The 28-year-old was Wise first signing of the summer, and the date of his arrival - August 6 - is a vivid example of how late and urgently the present squad at Elland Road was drawn together.
United had brought Ankergren to England on loan from Brondby in January, and had negotiated a deal to sign him permanently at the end of last season. As a result of administration, Leeds took until a week before the start of this term to confirm his arrival on a three-year deal, for an undisclosed fee.
Ankergren said: "It was a long wait and I'd have been very disappointed if it hadn't happened. I knew I wanted to sign for Leeds but I talked with some other clubs because I couldn't be sure what my position was going to be.
"Leeds wanted me but they weren't able to offer me a contract until right before the start of the season. I'd already decided that I wanted to leave Brondby and I needed to make sure that I had other options if the transfer to Leeds didn't come off. But I always thought of Leeds - I just hoped that eventually we'd do the deal that everyone wanted."
From Wise's perspective, the transfer was worth the wait. Ankergren has installed himself convincingly as United's first-choice keeper, fending off the competition presented by the experienced David Lucas, and Leeds' defensive record is no less impressive than their attacking prowess.
Ankergren's excellent performance underpinned United's 1-1 draw at Walsall last weekend, and Wise said: "That'swhat he's there for.
"He's done very well this year and I'm pleased I brought him in. He's very much my goalkeeper and every time I've needed him he's been there."
United's stalemate at the Bescot Stadium derailed Wise's plan to reach the top of League One by the turn of the year, and United trail leaders Swansea City by four points having played a game more. Their meeting in South Wales on December 29 has taken on a crucial complexion.
But Ankergren insisted a 1-1 draw at Walsall was a valuable result, saying: "Not a lot of teams will go there and win so we can't be too hard on ourselves. A draw away from home is okay I feel.
"We could have lost 1-0, and I think they can be the most important games. If you can turn as many of those games as possible into draws, it helps at the end of the season. The division is very close and one point might make a big difference."
YEP
