By John May BBC Sport Online

Lee Bowyer is returning to Elland Road but still faces life in football's nether world.

Liverpool's dramatic decision to pull out of negotiations with Bowyer leaves the talented but troubled midfielder wondering where his long-term future lies.

Immediately, of course, it lies at Leeds United, a club Bowyer now professes he never wanted to leave in the first place.

But for all the trumpeting fanfare of his return, you suspect his welcome may not be the warmest.

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale transfer-listed Bowyer after he refused to sign a new five-year contract.

Despite Bowyer's claims that he is pleased to be going back, there must remain a wound that needs some gentle healing.

That will fall on to the broad shoulders of new manager Terry Venables to use all his suave skills of persuasion to iron out a potentially tangled situation.

Bowyer remains a Leeds player, but what sort of reception will he receive from team-mates who he almost turned his back on, and from a chairman who patenly had run out of patience with him?

Working in Bowyer's favour is the fact that Venables rates his skills as a player, which have never been in doubt.

Rio Ferdinand's record-breaking sale may have eased Leeds' financial plight, but would they still off-load Bowyer given the chance?

That may not be easy.

There are only a handful of English clubs who could afford the sort of wages Liverpool's rejection slip hints that Bowyer is demanding.

His dream move would be to Arsenal, but Ray Parlour's form last season did Bowyer few favours.

And Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger has enough riches in midfield to avoid needing to take any risks by signing a potential upsetter of apple carts.

Even allowing for the fact you can never have enough players, Manchester United may have no need of Bowyer, while Newcastle are also well catered for.

Perhaps Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan might consider Bowyer the sort of challenge he would relish.

City, though, have already spent big and Bowyer's misfortune is that he has come on to the market at a time when many clubs have made their moves and committed their budgets for the season.

Bowyer may come with certain baggage, but his talents are too good to lie unused and wasted.

He is a proud and headstrong young man, qualities which manifest themselves in the confidence he shows on the field.

Events have shown that where Lee Bowyer's future lies, depends increasingly on one person - Lee Bowyer.