LEEDS UNITED have dismissed the allegations against Massimo Cellino by The Daily Telegraph as a "non-story".

The Italian, who denies any wrongdoing, appears to suggest to members of a fictitious Asian firm that they become shareholders in the club in order to receive portions of players' transfer fees.

"This is plainly not a suggestion as to how to circumvent the rules but rather an accurate, albeit concise, explanation of how to operate within the confines of the rules," the club statement said.

The 60-year-old businessman has been dogged by controversy throughout his time as owner of Cagliari and, since 2014, Leeds United.

As well as sacking six managers during his stint in England, he has also been suspended as a club director by the English Football League and is already under an FA investigation for an alleged illegal payment in Ross McCormark's 2014 transfer to Fulham.

Meanwhile, Barnsley have sacked assistant head coach Tommy Wright, a former Leeds and Bradford City player, after The Daily Telegraph reported he took a £5,000 payment from undercover reporters posing as representatives of fake investors from the Far East.

The 50-year-old Scot, who maintains his innocence, was suspended after the allegation came to light on Wednesday but the South Yorkshire club has now terminated his contract with immediate effect.

The newspaper's investigations into football corruption have also implicated QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The former Leeds striker, who strongly denies the claims, is alleged to have requested a fee of £55,000 to also work for a phoney Far East firm seeking to sell players to the club.