Leeds United will brandish their corporate chequebook this morning in the belief that hard cash will persuade Leicester City to let Martin O'Neill leave Filbert Street.

The Yorkshire club, whose board unanimously decided that O'Neill was the man best equipped to replace George Graham in the wake of the latter's departure to Tottenham, moved smartly through accepted diplomatic channels yesterday morning when they asked Leicester for permission to approach their manager.

However Leicester, who confirmed in a statement to the Stock Exchange that they had received an approach from Leeds, said at the weekend that they would fight tooth and nail to retain O'Neill and last night he was in talks with City's club and plc chairmen, respectively John Elsom and Sir Rodney Walker.

Earlier the Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale said: "We have approached the chairman of a full-time professional football club for permission to talk to their manager. I will now sit back and reflect on the situation. That's exactly how Tottenham did it."

In asking Leeds to look elsewhere Leicester have put the ball in the 46-year-old Irishman's court. O'Neill has a clause in his contract which will permit him to talk to any club willing to pay £1 million compensation and, although that figure will drop to around £250,000 at midnight on October 31st, Leeds will not haggle over coppers, especially as they have collected £3.2 million from Tottenham for Graham.