Cup hero Beckford wants to leave Leeds United but Bates will leave it to Grayson

The 26-year-old is wanted by Newcastle United after netting 20 goals this season to help power Leeds to the top of League One and knock Manchester United out of the FA Cup.

Magpies manager Chris Hughton had a bid of 1.25m turned down by the Elland Road club before Christmas.

Sources in the North East suggested last night that Newcastle have since returned with an increased offer of 1.5m and are waiting for a response from Leeds.

It seems clear from the transfer request, which was submitted on December 30, that Beckford's mind is made up about wanting to move to St James' Park where his wages would be expected to treble.

However, United chairman Bates has been quick to stress the only wishes that matter are those of his manager.

He said: "It will be up to Simon what happens."

Grayson has already shown his intent not to be influenced by the wishes of his striker by selecting Beckford, who has also been watched by Wigan Athletic and West Bromwich Albion in recent weeks, for the FA Cup tie at Old Trafford five days after he had submitted the written request to leave. He was rewarded with the former Chelsea junior netting the winner on an unforgettable afternoon as Leeds claimed their first win at the home of their great rivals in almost 29 years.

Publicly, Grayson has never veered from the line, adopted last summer in the wake of Beckford turning down a new deal, that United wanted to keep hold of their striker. But, in recent weeks, it is understood he has been scouring the Football League for a replacement once the January transfer window was open to keep Leeds's promotion aspirations on course.

As the Yorkshire Post revealed on Tuesday, Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp tops the Leeds manager's list.

The 23-year-old is on a season-long loan at Doncaster Rovers but can be recalled to Bramall Lane should the Blades receive an acceptable bid.

Sharp, who has 18 months remaining on his deal with Kevin Blackwell's side, has been in stunning form for Rovers in the Championship this season, netting 10 goals in 17 appearances, six of which have come in the last seven games.

One potential stumbling block, however, is the south Yorkshire club wanting to recoup much of the 2m fee then manager Bryan Robson spent bringing the one-time Blades apprentice back to the club from Scunthorpe United in 2007. Scunthorpe striker Gary Hooper has also been linked with Leeds, while Sheffield United's Jamie Ward is another who is understood to be on the club's radar after talks about a possible new deal at the Lane stalled.

On Beckford indicating his desire to leave Elland Road, Leeds last night released an official statement that read: "The transfer request was handed in on December 30.

"By handing in the transfer request, it clearly indicates that the player wants to leave Leeds United. However, that will only happen in the event that it is decided to be in the interests of Leeds United.

"The best interests of Leeds United involve receiving both an acceptable fee and securing a suitable replacement to ensure his departure does not have an adverse effect on the club's overall aim of securing promotion to the Championship."

Beckford's transfer request means the striker is likely to go from hero to zero in the minds of many Leeds supporters still basking in the glow of Sunday's momentous victory over the Premier League champions.

Should Newcastle's revised 1.5m bid, which the North East club have indicated will not be raised any further, be accepted, it will bring an end to an Elland Road career that started in March 2006, when then Leeds boss Blackwell paid 50,000 to non-League Wealdstone.

Initially, he struggled and it took a loan move to Scunthorpe the following year to kick-start the goalscoring prowess that has since brought 74 goals in 128 appearances for Leeds.