Rio’s future is in his hands - Lorimer

Former Leeds United star Peter Lorimer conceded today that it is a ‘‘big possibility’’ that Rio Ferdinand will not be at Elland Road for the start of next season.

The England defender’s impressive performances at the World Cup have led to him being linked to a move, with bitter rivals Manchester United believed to be in the queue.

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale and manager David O’Leary will sit down with the former West Ham star this week and admitted that if his heart is elsewhere then they have little option but to allow him to move for the right price.

‘‘It’s not a foregone conclusion,’’ Lorimer told PA Sport. ‘‘But it’s a big possibility that he will move.

‘‘The manager has said that he wants to speak to him and wants him to stay, but until Rio makes his decision then nobody will know.

‘‘It’s down to him now in the position that he’s in because the chairman and the manager have said that if he wants to go then there’s no point keeping him.

‘‘It’s a decision the lad has got to make. I don’t think for one minute that Leeds will want to push him out and nobody wants a player of his calibre to go.

‘‘But if the lad has decided, as David O’Leary has said, that there’s a bigger fish somewhere else and he wants to go there’s not a lot he can do about it. It would appear the decision is strictly in Rio’s hands now.’’

Lorimer admits that seeing the 23-year-old signing for their arch-rivals would be as painful for the supporters as seeing the departure of Eric Cantona to Old Trafford.

The Frenchman sparked the Red Devils’ decade of success having joined Leeds for their title run-in in the 1991-92 season, but Lorimer believes approaches from top Italian and Spanish clubs might be made.

‘‘Of course it hurts,’’ added Lorimer.

‘‘We lost Cantona to United and he did really well over there which was hard.

‘‘But we’ve had some really good players come over here like (Johnny) Giles and (Gordon) Strachan and players like that who’ve been great for Leeds.

‘‘It does seem that the last thing Leeds fans want is one of their best players to go to Manchester United, but they would be the kind of club that have got the kind of money that Leeds need so it’s one of those things.

‘‘But I would think the Italians might come in yet. I would be very surprised if the big boys in Italy don’t come in for him.

‘‘He was excellent at the World Cup and if they thought he was available they would come in, but it depends on what Rio does. If he says he wants to go then they are going to have to let him go and are resigned to letting that happen.’’