Strachan in line for Leeds switch

Gordon Strachan will be on his way to Leeds United in the next few days as the Southampton chairman, Rupert Lowe, begins talks over compensation.

The likelihood of Strachan returning to Elland Road has moved closer as the Leeds chief executive, Trevor Birch, made an official approach to Lowe, who informed the manager of their interest. There is no doubt Strachan wants the move, seen as a huge challenge by some, but a personal crusade for the strong-minded Scot.

Now Lowe and Birch are locked in talks over the settlement figure, with Leeds happy to pay around £500,000 as compensation for Strachan before offering him terms to join them. The figure is quite high - compared to the wages remaining on Strachan's contract - but it makes up for the loss and will go some way to financing a replacement if Lowe looks for a manager at a rival club.

Lowe now realises that Leeds do want Strachan and that his manager is keen on the switch. With Strachan in the last seven months of his contract there is little point in keeping him and then seeing him walk out for nothing.

So Lowe is now fixing the price, but seems sure to be looking for a new manager in the next few days. The fact that the negotiations have lasted a couple of days behind the scenes makes things awkward for the weekend. Strachan has prepared Southampton for their match with Chelsea and is unlikely to leave the club before Saturday. But the game is now almost certain to be his farewell as all parties try to sort out an amicable solution around his departure.

Leeds are content to have Eddie Gray in caretaker control for their six-pointer against Bolton, but Strachan should be installed soon after.

It will be a coup for Leeds to bring back one of their favourite sons at a time when they are suffering on and off the pitch. And with potential cash backing in January - money pumped in by Arabian fan and investor Sheikh Abdul Mubarrak Al-Khalifa - Strachan may not face an impossible job after all.