United's Ferdinand bid opens at £28m

Manchester United have opened the bidding for Rio Ferdinand with a considered offer which would tantalise Leeds United's board and might embarrass the club's chairman, Peter Ridsdale, who yesterday rejected his captain's written transfer request.

Although Ridsdale said that "no bid worthy of consideration" had been received for Ferdinand and is determined to hold out for as much as £35m, United's offer of £28m would have great appeal to the plc, since £20m of it could be paid immediately. The remaining £8m is believed to be made up of performance-related "extras", dependent on Manchester United's success.

Usually, a Premiership club would reckon to wait a year before the full balance of a transfer is paid and the United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has told friends that he believes £28m, almost exactly the sum he paid for Juan Sebastian Veron last summer, will land a player who at 23 could claim to be Europe's best young defender.

Ridsdale, who has invested considerable emotional capital in attempting to keep Ferdinand at the club he joined for £18m in November 2000, initially issued a firm statement rejecting the defender's transfer request before hinting that he may be allowed to leave Elland Road.

"We received an offer [for Ferdinand] some weeks ago but rejected it out of hand because we felt it to be derisory," said Ridsdale, who has cut short a holiday in France to meet Ferdinand today. "But we are a public company and I have a duty to shareholders to maximise the value of our assets. If we receive any reasonable bid for any of our players, including Rio, they will be considered."

Although some members of the Leeds board might welcome United's offer, any suggestion of off-loading their captain for a "cut-price" fee – albeit one that would be a record for an Englishman – would be fiercely opposed by Leeds fans, who have not forgotten the sale of Eric Cantona a decade ago for what now appears a derisory £1m. However, if Leeds dig their heels in and demand £35m, the sum may be beyond United, who have been unable to rid themselves of Dwight Yorke's considerable wage packet.

Ferdinand is expected to join Leeds' tour of Australia and the Far East on Saturday after his meeting with Ridsdale but both he and his agent, Pinhas Zahavi, appeared confident he would be playing at Old Trafford when the Premiership season opens next month. "He would be very happy to join Manchester United," Zahavi said. "He wants to play in a bigger and better club and he wants to play in the Champions' League."

When Ferdinand left West Ham for Leeds, he was deeply concerned about the reception he would receive upon his return to Upton Park. In the event his fears proved unfounded, although leaving Elland Road Road on equable terms would be a very difficult task. Zahavi's remarks are hardly likely to endear his client to Leeds fans, although the player himself made diplomatic noises when news of his transfer request was released. "The last three days have torn me apart," he said. "I love Leeds United. They took a huge gamble in signing me and I will never forget that."

Even while Ridsdale was planning a final attempt to persuade him to stay, preparations were being made for life after Ferdinand. Roberto Ayala's agent arrived in England yesterday and, although he had not arranged a meeting with Leeds, Fernando Hidalgo said: "I think the club is interested but it all depends on whether Ferdinand's transfer to Manchester United is completed."

The deal which would send Lee Bowyer to Anfield and provide £7m towards clearing Leeds' considerable debts, is, however, far from complete. Pictures of the midfielder shaking hands with the Liverpool manager, Gérard Houllier, after Bowyer had passed a medical appeared premature as talks faltered over wages. Bowyer's demand for a salary of £2m is some £10,000 a week more than Liverpool are prepared to pay. Bowyer, who earns £18,000 a week on his contract with Leeds which expires next year, has already rejected an offer from Leeds of £39,000 a week. Liverpool remain confident of securing the deal in time for Bowyer to play in the first of the club's pre-season friendlies, against Le Havre tomorrow night.