Leeds boss Brian McDermott has teed up Middlesbrough’s visit to Elland Road on Saturday by telling them: Ross McCormack was never interested in joining you.

Boro had a £2m bid rejected for the striker, who then signed a new four-year deal with the Whites.

McCormack is expected to be fit to play after pulling out of Scotland’s win in Norway on Tuesday with a tight hamstring. His presence will add extra spice as Leeds look to rekindle their decent form from before the international break.

According to his manager, McCormack was never tempted to move to Teesside – and the Boro bid was “nowhere near enough” anyway.

McDermott said: “He always wanted to stay here and he never, ever wavered.

“I had conversations with him virtually every day while the bids were coming in and not once did he tell me that he wanted to consider his options or listen to what was being offered elsewhere.

“It would be wrong to say I was never worried. But £2m for someone like Ross wasn’t my idea of a good deal.”

Leeds, who will be without the injured Scott Wootton, won three out of four before the free week to move within a point of the top six. But the visitors will be keen to impress new head coach Aitor Karanka in his first game at the helm.

McDermott added: “We’re on a bit of a run at the moment and we’re scoring goals, which as I said myself was a problem for us at the start of the season.

“That was a priority and we dealt with it. I prefer not to look beyond the priorities.”