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Leeds Live

Sport

Matty Hewitt

Leeds United news as former 'target' lifts the lid on Whites interest prior to Arsenal move

Leeds United Arsenal Javi Gracia Whites Leeds Nottingham Forest Wilfried Gnonto Auston Trusty Colorado (Organization) Forest

A look at the latest Leeds United morning headlines on Tuesday, April 4.

Former Leeds United 'target lifts the lid on interest before Arsenal switch

Former Leeds United target Auston Trusty has revealed he was all set to move to Leeds United in January last season, until Arsenal came in at the 11th hour. The 24-year-old defender is currently impressing in the Championship, on loan from the Gunners.

“I knew they were interested, I was doing my thing in Colorado, we were doing well, we were leading the Western Conference and during that process [I was]doing really well and I had teams watching me,” Trusty told Birmingham Live.

“Finally I had a few teams, I was thinking about going and I was actually going to Leeds. Then Arsenal came in the picture and I just basically said, ‘Make this happen.’ I let my agent do all that kind of stuff and I just focus on football because what I was doing in Colorado was attracting the attention of the likes of Arsenal.

“Sooner or later I ended up signing with them, I needed my visa and with Colorado, since we won the Western Conference we were playing in the Champions League, so I think I needed a couple more points to get my visa in England. I had to back on loan, get my points and ended up playing in England. It was a pretty crazy process when it was going on.

“For some reason you have to be really quiet about everything, you don’t want the deal to turn into a shambles so I didn’t even tell my parents, I didn’t even tell my friends, tell none of my team-mates, this was my dream – I was not playing around. My parents could wait dude. So literally when things were finalised, then I told them.”

Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest TV channel, how to watch, odds and live stream details

Leeds United take on Nottingham Forest at Elland Road in the Premier League on Tuesday evening (7:45pm GMT) in what is set to be a huge relegation clash.

Saturday's 4-1 defeat to Arsenal was disappointing in the manner in which it unfolded after what looked to be a promising start, but Javi Gracia will know that the game against the Gunners is not where his side's fight against relegation lies. The Whites are now looking to dust themselves down and go again under the lights in front of what will be a raucous home crowd.

Forest sit one point ahead of Leeds heading into the game, with Steve Cooper's side just two places above them in 15th such is the congested nature of the bottom half of the table. Three points on Tuesday could see Gracia's squad move up into 13th depending on results elsewhere.

You can read more here.

Leeds United squad vs Nottingham Forest revealed as three key men miss out and Gracia waits on duo

Leeds United will be without three key players when they welcome Nottingham Forest to Elland Road this evening.

But Javi Gracia remained tight lipped over whether Wilfried Gnonto and Max Wober will miss the game due to injuries the pair sustained on international duty, which also ruled them out of Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Arsenal.

Wober suffered a hamstring injury in Austria's 4-1 win over Azerbaijan, while Gnonto lasted just 22 minutes before withdrawing with an ankle injury during Italy's 2-0 victory against Malta.

You can read more here.

Javi Gracia may finally unleash Leeds United's best weapon and pose captain question vs Forest

Punishing an abject record

If there was one home match every club in the Premier League would circle as a must-win it would be Nottingham Forest’s visit. The only reason Steve Cooper’s side are not already relegated is their home form.

On their travels, the newly-promoted outfit have one win and four goals from 13 outings. That’s six points from an available 39 as well as 32 goals conceded. As a relegation battler, Leeds hardly have much to write home about themselves, but this is a visitor they have to be burying tonight.

Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackpool and West Ham United have all beaten Forest on their travels.

You can read more here.

Javia Gracia pinning hopes on Leeds United's ace up their sleeve for decisive week

Leeds boss Javi Gracia has called on the spirit of club anthem Marching On Together to help his side in their bid to retain their Premier League status. Gracia's side resume their relegation fight against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on tonight and the Spaniard feels the famous song can inspire his players during the run-in.

Leeds sit above the bottom three on goal difference after Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Arsenal, but Gracia said his squad is united in achieving its goal. He said: "All of them have the clear, collective objective: to remain in the Premier League. I hear Marching On Together since my arrival here and that's something I can feel.

"I love it. I love it when I listen to it in Elland Road. When I listen in Elland Road, it's something different. It helps our players to play better, I'm sure. In the next games, they will be with us. In these important games, I don't have doubt about the atmosphere at Elland Road. They will always be with us and now we have to be focused on doing things well."

You can read more here.