NEW Leeds United manager Kevin Blackwell is ready to swap skipper Dominic Matteo for Fulham striker Barry Hayles.

And he also hopes to snap up wing back Danny Tiatto from Manchester City and central defender Paul Butler from Wolves on free transfers.

Matteo, one of Leeds' highest earners on £30,000 per week, is also being tracked by Manchester City, but Kevin Keegan's offer to take the 29-year-old on a season-long loan was turned down last week.

Alan Smith's sale to Manchester United and Mark Viduka's expected departure mean Leeds' only remaining striker will be youngster Simon Johnson.

Hayles netted 18 goals in Fulham's promotion winning season in 2000-01 and Blackwell sees the 32-year-old as the man to lead Leeds' front-line next season.

Tiatto and Butler, both 31, are out of contract and available as Blackwell looks to start a rebuilding job.

Blackwell has warned Leeds fans not to expect a rapid return to the Premiership. He insists he is taking a realistic view when he says: "Next season will be another difficult one for us. Of course I know how big this club is and the high expectations of our supporters, but we have to be realistic.

"The only money I have is what I raise from sales. I'll be signing players on wages only. There will be zero fees.

"This job is possibly a poisoned chalice, but it was one I had to pick up."

Blackwell has already sold Paul Robinson to Tottenham and Alan Smith to Manchester United, while other departures are inevitable to reduce a crippling wage bill.

Danny Mills, Viduka, Matteo, Nick Barmby, Jason Wilcox, Gary Kelly, Ian Harte, Michael Duberry and Stephen McPhail are among the big wage earners still under contract, while other high earners Seth Johnson and Eirik Bakke are injured and therefore unlikely to move on.

Meanwhile, Lucas Radebe has criticised Leeds team-mate Viduka over his attitude at the crisis-torn club. Viduka fell out with former manager Peter Reid, who axed him for turning up late for training.

And, after Reid's sacking, the 28-year-old Australian striker caused more resentment after being sent off twice in the vital run-in, with Leeds desperately chasing points for Premiership survival.

Radebe, one of the most experienced players at Elland Road, used an ITV documentary, 'Leeds, Leeds, Leeds', to complain: "It got to a point where Mark realised the team needed him more and he needed to set an example, especially to the younger players at the club.

"The situation was difficult for us. We were right down at the bottom and we needed everybody together. You don't want players pulling in different directions.

"With 'Vidukes' we knew what quality we had. We knew, as well, the other side of him, when he was dragging his feet to the training ground, but we just accepted him."

Reid, who had a running battle with Viduka over his attitude, has no regrets about his stance.

"When you have someone turning up late for training and there are other players looking at you, you have to show them who is the boss," he said.

"There was a malaise about the place and a defeatist attitude. I just couldn't shake it out of them."

Updated: 11:08 Monday, May 31, 2004