Jonathan Woodgate is poised to seal his future at Leeds United by signing a new and improved contract.

The 21-year-old has held talks with the club and is ready to sign a new five-year deal worth almost £20,000 a week, according to the Yorkshire Post.

Woodgate made his first league start for 11 months at Bolton yesterday.

Earlier this month he was acquitted of grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to an assault on a student in Leeds city centre, but ordered to serve 100 hours' community service after being found guilty of affray.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale has confirmed he will meet the player's representative in early January regarding a new deal - and does not expect any problems.

Ridsdale said: "We have offered Jonathan Woodgate a new contract. I have a meeting arranged with his agent at the beginning of next month but I fully expect the player to sign it."

The news comes just 24 hours after the club revealed that Lee Bowyer was set to pledge his future by signing a new five-year deal just a week after being placed on the transfer list.

Meanwhile, Leicester City midfielder Robbie Savage has defended the right of footballers to hold Christmas parties despite allegedly being involved in a bust-up with team-mate Dennis Wise at Leicester's bash.

Savage said: "Don't think for a minute that we don't realise that as professional footballers we are in a very privileged position. Christmas gives us a chance to give something back to the local community like visiting the children's wards in the local hospital.

"Just because we are part of a high-profile industry, does that mean we are supposed to behave like Trappist monks and adopt Scrooge-like mentalities over the festive period.

"We hired a private room for ours so we would be out of the way and would not upset anyone else. The owner of the place said that we behaved ourselves. Myself and Wisey had a bit of football banter, that's all. Nothing more, nothing less."