Rio Ferdinand, eyes shaded behind designer sunglasses, tore out of Leeds' training complex in his blue Ferrari yesterday conscious that he has only 24 hours to complete a move from West Yorkshire.

With the Elland Road board still bracing themselves for an improved offer of around £30 million from Manchester United, Ferdinand reiterated his desire to move to Old Trafford at a brief meeting with his chairman, Peter Ridsdale, having completed his first pre-season training session.

Leeds, for all their public reluctance to sell their captain following what Ridsdale had described as a "derisory" bid of £20 million last month, expect United to make a more acceptable offer today before Ferdinand is due to depart on an 11-day tour of the Far East and Australia tomorrow morning.

"I had an amicable and constructive meeting with Rio at the training ground," said Ridsdale. "I hope I can soon go back on holiday to rejoin my family in Monaco, depending upon how the next 24 hours pan out."

While Ridsdale is hoping to raise a British record fee for the player he described as "the best defender in the world", members of the club's plc board are believed to be willing to accept nearer £28 million.

Their shareholders are hardly keen to have an unsettled Ferdinand prominent in Leeds' touring squad for what is essentially a marketing exercise in China, Australia and Thailand, despite the defender's agent stressing: "Rio's under contract and, if nothing happens between the two clubs by then, he will have to go."

That appears unlikely, with the chairman's admission that he would be prepared to sell his captain to his fiercest rivals - "I do not treat any club different to any other," he said - suggesting as much. That willingness was a far cry from his earlier protestations that Ferdinand had a clause in his contract denying him a move to another Premiership club.

Leeds will hope negotiations can be concluded quicker than those aimed at selling Lee Bowyer to Liverpool, with the midfielder's agent David Geiss still talking with Anfield officials and a deal remaining "close", according to Geiss.

The French midfielder Olivier Dacourt, meanwhile, is likely to remain in Yorkshire having set a deadline for his services to pass tomorrow and with Juventus no nearer concluding his £10.5 million transfer.

Nwankwo Kanu is keen to hold talks with Arsene Wenger about his future at Arsenal over the next few days after returning to the club for pre-season training.

The striker was offered by Wenger to PSV Eindhoven in part exchange for Mark van Bommel this summer and intends to find out whether he will feature prominently next season.

"I hope to discuss my future with the manager," he said, "but at the moment I'm still an Arsenal player."

Fulham will confirm today that they have signed the defender Martin Djetou on a season's loan from Parma. The 27-year-old Frenchman links up with Jean Tigana for a second time, having been coached by his compatriot at Monaco.