Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale has warned former manager George Graham against returning to Elland Road to launch a player pillage.

Graham has been handed a £20 million transfer fund by Tottenham supremo Alan Sugar after taking over at the club yesterday, with a trio of United stars believed to be on his hit-list.

Striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, goalkeeper Nigel Martyn and influential skipper Lucas Radebe could all go in a £12 million raid as Graham begins his bid to turn Spurs into winners.

Hasselbaink has already voiced his fears this week, at one point threatening to quit if Graham left, although the Dutch international now looks as though he will decide his fate once he knows who the new man is.

South African international Radebe, meanwhile, refused to pledge his future to Leeds prior to flying out to Madeira for his side's UEFA Cup first round penalty shoot-out win over Maritimo, with England stopper Martyn also hinting he could leave.

But after losing someone he described as "the best manager in the game", Ridsdale is now determined to hang on to players he believes are "the backbone of the team".

Speaking from Geneva, where he was present for yesterday's second round draw of the European competitions - Leeds face Serie A Roma - Ridsdale has issued a defiant 'hands-off' warning to Graham.

"I had a meeting with the players at the training ground on Thursday because I felt it was important that I talked to them," he said.

"The players are obviously disappointed that George has gone, but they also recognise it's part of life, part of being a professional footballer.

"They are getting on with their job as I would expect them to and focusing on what's at stake, rather than what's past.

"We've a good squad of players here - one I would like to believe is actually happy playing for Leeds United.

"And there are key players in that squad like Nigel, Lucas and Jimmy. They are the backbone of the team and they are not for sale. Not to anyone. Full stop."

Ridsdale, meanwhile, admits he has yet to make an approach for any of the managers on United's short-list - thought to include Martin O'Neill of Leicester and Coventry's Gordon Strachan - after current caretaker and Graham's assistant David O'Leary ruled himself out of the running on Thursday.

Ridsdale, though, is refusing to take the former Republic of Ireland star's name out of the frame, and said: "David has expressed a personal view over whether he is ready or not to take over.

"I have informed him that as far as I am concerned he remains on our short-list, but as of yet we have not made any approach whatsoever elsewhere.

"I am still hopeful that we will have somebody in place by the Nottingham Forest match (October 17)."

Former United skipper Strachan appears to be the favourite with the Elland Road fans but O'Neill has far greater managerial experience.

Significantly, O'Neill has refused to rule himself out of the running for the job. "All I can say is that I have not been contacted by Leeds officials, either officially or unofficially," he said.

"It would be stupid for me to say I would never leave Leicester, because I was very close to walking out in the summer.

"I can't make any comment on the Leeds situation because at the moment it is all media speculation."

But the Irishman said he would continue to manage the Foxes until he heard anything different. "I have a job to do here and I'm going to get on with that job. "

Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of Leicester City plc, has told Leeds he will not let O'Neill quit the Foxes for Elland Road.

He wants O'Neill to see out the remaining two years of his contract.

"He is not up for sale. I would say that without any hesitation. He committed himself to the club only three or four weeks ago and I am looking forward to seeing out this season and next season with Martin," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.