RIO FERDINAND was ordered to honour his contract by Terry Venables last night as the new Leeds manager fought to keep the £35m-rated defender at Elland Road.

Venables told Ferdinand, who is being tracked by Manchester United and Arsenal plus a handful of Italian clubs, to repay the faith Leeds showed in him when they spent a then British record £18m for his services in 2000.

Ferdinand, who is tied to Elland Road for another four years, would spark the summer's biggest transfer war were he to demand a move when he meets Venables upon his return from a holiday in Las Vegas. But Venables fired the first shot in the battle by appealing to the Leeds captain's sense of loyalty towards his current club.

"Rio's contract has got quite a long time left to run. I've never had a problem with a player leaving when he's got just one year on his contract - but otherwise I think players should honour their contracts," said Venables.

"It's the same as when a club wants to sell a player. He can say he doesn't want to go, and that's fine by me.

"I'd be disappointed if Rio wanted to leave a club that stuck its neck out and spent an awful lot of money on him. A lot of credit has to go to Leeds for spending that money when other people weren't doing so.

"He's come on leaps and bounds since then and he's an outstanding player. It's up to me to spell out where I see this club going, and I'm confident he'll stay."

Venables's first major decision as Leeds boss is likely to be the sanctioning of Lee Bowyer's £9m move to Liverpool as United try to balance the books.

Venables must show a transfer surplus of £15m before chairman Peter Ridsdale allows his manager to draft in fresh blood.

Ridsdale, who is also close to brokering Olivier Dacourt's £15m move to Juventus, said: "I've had a discussion with Liverpool about Lee Bowyer, but at this time I've accepted no bid for him.

"If there is a bid on the table that we think is acceptable, I would pass it to the manager to decide what he wanted to do."

Bowyer has less than 12 months left on his Leeds deal and has been on the transfer list since the latter stages of last season.

Venables said: "Whether Lee goes or not is up to him, but I'll do everything I can to make him stay.

"I had a good chat with him today, but if he wants to go there's nothing I can do about it. He has certain things on his mind that he's disappointed with."

Venables also gave his full backing to Jonathan Woodgate, who is battling to resurrect his career after standing trial alongside Bowyer in a high-profile court case.

While Bowyer was acquitted of all charges, Woodgate was convicted of affray and sentenced to 100 hours' community service, but Venables believes he can help the defender recapture the form that saw him play for England when he was just 19.

"Jonathan is in a very good frame of mind. He's had a tough time but that's behind us now. He has a big future here," added Venables.