Red Devils wait for Leeds to crack on Smith sale

MANCHESTER UNITED are prepared to sit and wait for Leeds to crack as the battle hots up to land striker Alan Smith.

Everton yesterday became the latest club to make their interest known in Smith, submitting a stg£7 million offer for the 23-year-old, though, due to their financial situation, the cash is not all up front and is dependent on appearances and international caps.

Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Liverpool are also in the hunt for the England forward, but Smith’s apparent desire to move to Old Trafford seemingly leaves financially-crippled Leeds in a position of weakness.

Leeds director Peter Lorimer said: “Smith’s agent Alex Black has indicated Alan’s preferred choice is Manchester United.”

It means despite having two bids of stg£3.5m and stg£5.5m rejected on Tuesday, the Old Trafford club are effectively in the driving seat, and know sooner or later Leeds will have to accept a figure substantially lower than their stg£10m valuation.

Unlike Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Everton, United can offer Smith Champions League football next season, even if they do have to go through a qualifying round.

With Leeds also desperate for the money, as rumours are again circulating they could go into administration this summer unless a takeover deal with Steve Parkin is concluded, the Red Devils can pay any transfer fee in one installment.

Chief executive David Gill is prepared to bide his time and wait until after Saturday’s FA Cup final against Millwall at the Millennium Stadium, unless Leeds approach United with an indication of what they are prepared to accept for Smith.

Gill and manager Sir Alex Ferguson have already been in this situation before. In January they eventually landed Louis Saha following a protracted wrangle with Fulham.

France international striker Saha publicly voiced his desire to join United, against the wishes of Cottagers boss Chris Coleman, who was adamant his player was staying.

But United played a waiting game before eventually landing Saha for stg£12.8m, the fee far below that suggested by Coleman, and it appears as if a similar scenario is to unfold with Leeds.

Gill will certainly not want to attract the criticism former chief executive Peter Kenyon was subjected to two years ago when United signed Rio Ferdinand from Leeds for a British record stg£28.1m, so is unlikely to be as generous in the bargaining stakes.

But Leeds’ Lorimer insists United “will have to up their bid” and that any deal has to be right for all parties.

“It’s obviously a problem going to Manchester United with Alan being a Leeds player,” said Lorimer.

“But if we were to sell him under market value, I don’t think the supporters would like us too much.

“We can’t let him go for less than the highest offer we have received and there has been interest from two other Premiership clubs in Newcastle and Middlesbrough as well.”

It means United needing to make an improved third offer of around stg£7.5m-stg£8m for Leeds to finally cave in.