Massimo Cellino: Keeping a close eye on the running of the club

Cellino is waiting for his takeover deal to be approved by the Football League, which confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that it still has outstanding queries regarding the Italian businessman's bid to buy 75 per cent of the club's share from current owners Gulf Finance House (GFH) Capital.

GFH Capital has been forced to borrow money to help cover the club's running costs in recent months and so the arrival on loan of England Under-21 internationals Jack Butland and Connor Wickham suggests Cellino is already investing in the club.

Cellino attempted to sack McDermott after reaching an agreement with GFH Capital at the end of last month, but the 57-year-old now appears happy to work with the former Reading manager.

"After the start of it all, so to speak, I'm in a good place," McDermott told a press conference at Thorp Arch.

"It happened. I got through it personally, we got through it as a club, things were said, mistakes have been made on all counts.

"Now, for me, I'm in a good place, just trying to concentrate solely on what we have to do and that's to win against QPR.

"It's fair to say that Massimo is taking a very close interest. We've had conversations and obviously (managing director) David (Haigh) is taking a close interest on GFH Capital's behalf.

"It's very fair to say he (Cellino) is taking an interest and a very close interest.

"But until you get the ownership changed, GFH are the owners of the football club."

Butland, on loan from Stoke, made an impressive debut in last week's goalless draw at Middlesbrough, which left Leeds seven points adrift of the play-off places in 11th.

Wickham, for whom Sunderland paid £8.1million to take him from Ipswich in June 2011 when he was 18, arrived on Wednesday, also until the end of the season, and is expected to make his debut in the Saturday lunch-time kick-off at Loftus Road.

"From Leeds United's point of view to sign two players of the calibre of Jack and Connor, it's got to be exciting times for us," added McDermott.

"This was always supposed to be a long-term job, that's what I was told.

"I was told when I came here if we can get ourselves to somewhere like eighth in the league, that would be great for us.

"Obviously you don't want to get to eighth, you want to get to sixth or fifth, second or first, we know that.

"But there's been a lot of bumps in the road and we're just trying to get over those and with 15 games to go, who knows?

"Sixth is achievable. But we need to get on a run of results, we know that.

"We want to play a certain way and we're working with the team to try and get to that."