Red Bull denies Leeds United bid

The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that "the soft drink giant" is not making a bid for Leeds United.

Red Bull, which already runs professional clubs in Germany, Austria and the USA, has been linked with a takeover at Elland Road for many months, though it previously denied any interest in acquiring Leeds amid intense speculation last November.

And speaking to Suddeutsche Zeitung today, Oliver Mintzlaff, the group’s head of global football marketing, said: "Another involvement in football is not planned."

Previously, Leeds United's disqualified owner, Massimo Cellino, claimed that Red Bull was looking to add to its stable of clubs. He said, "There is an offer. I didn't know about it, but I just spoke with one of the directors of [majority shareholder] Eleonora Sport."

Cellino, the former owner of Serie A club Cagliari Calcio, was asked to resign from Leeds United after deciding that the Italian did not meet the standards of "fit and proper ownership." This was after the Football League obtained documents showing that Cellino had been found guilty of tax evasion. He has previously been convicted for false accounting, embezzlement, and deceiving the Itailan Ministry of Agriculture.

Leeds United is currently in 14th place in the English Sky Bet Championship.