Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale today vowed to "leave no stone unturned" across the continent in the club's quest to bring in a new striker.

Ridsdale and manager David O'Leary are determined to pull out all the stops over the next few weeks to bring in a new striker following their £13.8million windfall from BSkyB yesterday.

O'Leary now has £25 to 30million to spend in the transfer market after the satellite giants took a 9.08 per cent stake in the club, with Leeds' shareholders set to ratify the move shortly.

The United boss has already admitted it could be next summer before the new forward is signed, but with Leeds looking for a Champions' League place this season, Ridsdale believes the move will be sooner rather than later.

"We are looking everywhere, and I mean everywhere, for the right man and will leave no stone unturned until he is a Leeds United player," confirmed Ridsdale.

"I will not be at home this weekend. I shall be taking in two matches in Europe alongside David O'Leary to see who is out there and available.

"A top target man is now our number one priority and that is a slight neither to Michael Bridges nor Alan Smith.

"Both are extremely good players, very much in the mould of Allan Clarke, but they will be even better playing off a big man."

Ridsdale, meanwhile, is set to meet with representatives from both the FA and the Foreign Office today to discuss the venue for Leeds' UEFA Cup first round second leg clash with Partizan Belgrade at the end of the month.

With sanctions still in force following the recent conflict in Yugoslavia, a neutral venue is becoming a realistic possibility, with Greece mentioned as one of the potential hosts.

Ridsdale added: "We will abide by whatever decision is made."

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