Rio for sale at the right price, says Ridsdale

LEEDS chairman Peter Ridsdale has cut short his holiday in France to have a showdown meeting with Rio Ferdinand today.

However, he has conceded he may be forced to sell the England defender if Manchester United come up with the money.

Ridsdale yesterday rejected an official transfer request from Ferdinand, but that situation could change if United or any other club for that matter offer between £30m and £35m.

Ferdinand, 23, is due back for pre-season training with Leeds this morning, and he will meet the club chairman to discuss his future at Elland Road.

Ridsdale revealed Leeds have already turned down one bid from Manchester United, believed to be £20m, for their centre-back.

He said: ''We received an offer some weeks ago but that was rejected out of hand as we felt it to be derisory.

"But we are a public company, I am merely an employee and I have a duty to shareholders to maximise the value of our assets.

''If we receive any reasonable offers for any of our players, including Rio, we will consider it and debate it but that is not the position at the moment. He has asked to be put on the transfer list at a time when there has not been an acceptable offer and that has been rejected.''

Leeds are due to set off on a tour of the Far East on Saturday and Ridsdale insists there is no reason why Ferdinand should not be on the plane.

''There is no reason why that should change at this moment in time,'' he said.

''I have spoken to Rio today, I will be meeting him tomorrow. He has asked for a transfer, we have answered the question frankly and expect him to honour his contract. I've no doubts he will be going on the tour. He is still a Leeds player.''

For all of Ridsdale's fighting talk, Ferdinand's move to Leeds' deadly rivals appears imminent.

The 23-year-old is already talking about Leeds in terms of the past, and a senior source at Leeds plc confirmed Schroders, the investment giants who are the major shareholders in the club's parent company, would not stand in the way of a sale.

The situation again highlights the fact that player power rules in professional football.

Even if player is under contract, if he is in demand and wants a move then nothing can stop him.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been waiting on the wings to sign Fernidand. He can now press his club to find the cash to make his first signing of the summer though that could also signal the exit door for misfit Argentinian midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron.

Ferguson views Ferdinand as the one player who can restore United to the pinnacle of Premiership and European football.