Massimo Cellino: Laying down the law at Elland Road

Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino has informed his players they must reside in the city.

The 57-year-old Italian took control at Elland Road in April and has made a number of eye-catching decisions during his short time at the club.

Cellino replaced manager Brian McDermott with little-known former Forest Green boss Dave Hockaday and, in order to cut costs, he closed down the club’s training complex at Thorp Arch for six weeks.

And then, once the site was re-opened, he asked the players to bring their own lunches and now insists they live within the city itself.

Cellino told the BBC: "Next season I do not want one single player who lives outside of Leeds, no way. That is mandatory.

"Last year there were players who were coming late to games. Next year before a home game the players will stay together, have dinner together and go to the game together.

"I found out that most of the games that are close to Leeds we go to by bus but we don't have our own. Why not? I would love to have a Leeds bus and I am going to buy one."

He also said the club are debt-free and that he has done a deal with previous owners GFH Capital who still have a 25 per-cent share which will help release cash to buy Elland Road back.

He added: "There is no debt anymore and we have found a deal with GFH and I am glad.

"We are close to raising £30m of capital and that is without the money we got for Ross McCormack. We did not budget for his sale because we did not want him to go.

"The decision to buy back the stadium had been made before Ross was sold but now we can use that money for the deal. We want to take back our house."