Leeds reject Rio transfer request

Leeds United today rejected a formal transfer request from £30million England defender Rio Ferdinand.

After days of agonising amid speculation linking the former West Ham player with a move to Manchester United, Ferdinand finally made his mind up about his future by asking for a move.

Ferdinand, 23, said: "For the past three days I have been torn apart. I love Leeds and the people of Leeds.

"The club took a huge risk on me and I will never forget that."

But the Yorkshire club immediately turned down Ferdinand's transfer request with chairman Peter Ridsdale insisting the Leeds captain must honour the remaining four years of his contract.

Ridsdale, who was faxed the request at his holiday home in France, said: "Rio has asked for a transfer. The request has been rejected. He has four years remaining on his contract and we expect him to respect that contractual obligation."

However, despite Ridsdale's determination to keep the club's prized asset, the ball is now firmly in Manchester United's court.

Having offered Ferdinand a £40,000 a week pay rise to take his weekly salary to £70,000 it is now a question of whether United are prepared to meet Leeds's asking price.

In a new twist today, Ridsdale hinted that United have already tabled an offer for Ferdinand which was rejected for being too low.

The Leeds chairman said mysteriously: "No bid worthy of consideration has been received from any football club for Rio."

It is not clear when the bid was made, how much it was worth and when it was turned down.

Faced now with a player who wants to leave Ridsdale - and new manager Terry Venables - know the club must let him go if United match the £30m price tag Leeds have placed on their skipper.

But while United are clearly keen to sign him, particularly after Ferdinand impressed with a string of brilliant performances for England at the World Cup, Old Trafford sources made it clear today that they won't "overpay" for the player.

It is understood United chief executive Peter Kenyon was trying to start talks with Ridsdale this afternoon.

Only yesterday Ridsdale claimed a 'dirty tricks' campaign was at work in the Ferdinand saga but Leeds will certainly be anxious to settle the issue quickly.

With the Elland Road club facing massive debts Venables has been told he must claw-back £15m from selling players.

With Lee Bowyer's £9m move to Liverpool facing uncertainty over his personal demands and Olivier Dacourt's move to Juventus also in doubt the quick sale of Ferdinand would provide an easy solution.

Kenyon revealed last week that United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had spent the summer "thinking about strengthening his defence."

Ferdinand, who was given an extra two-week break by Leeds to recover from the World Cup, is due to return to training tomorrow.

Leeds are then scheduled to jet-off to the Far East and Australia for a pre-season tour.

Ferdinand joined Leeds from West Ham in November 2000 for £18m - a record transfer fee between British clubs.

He has made 73 appearances for Leeds, scoring three goals.