LEEDS have dismissed suggestions that midfielder Lewis Cook has a release clause in his contract.

Reports surfaced that Cook, who signed a two-year deal last May, had a section inserted which allowed him to leave for £5million.

But the club shot that down with an official response which stated: "Leeds United would like to categorically deny reports that have emerged regarding a supposed release clause in the contract of Lewis Cook.

"The claim … is entirely inaccurate and unfair. No release clause whatsoever exists in the contract of the player in question."

The Cook issue, on the day that Leeds reported an overall loss of £2million in their annual accounts, is another unsettling episode ahead of their home clash with Bolton.

Saturday's game against the second-bottom Wanderers, who are fighting a winding-up order at the same time as relegation from the Championship, has suddenly taken on real significance.

Leeds were thumped 4-0 at Brighton on Monday after a dreadful first half which saw owner Massimo Cellino leave the ground at half-time.

Cellino has since stressed he will not be sacking head coach Steve Evans but felt he was "talking too much". It adds to an atmosphere of huge uncertainty at a club currently nine points clear of the drop zone.