LEEDS United are in danger of losing four big name players after putting all contract talks on hold until a buyer for the club is found.

The situation leaves Michael Bridges, Lucas Radebe and former Blackburn pair David Batty and Jason Wilcox free to talk to other clubs from January 1 unless a buy-out is completed in the meantime.

Such a timescale looks extremely unlikely and all four players' contracts expire in the summer.

After being cast aside by Terry Venables, Batty was handed a new lease of life by Peter Reid and played in caretaker-manager Eddie Gray's first two matches in charge before missing the 1-1 draw against Chelsea last Saturday with an ankle injury.

Wilcox, who has had minor knee surgery, last appeared in Leeds' Carling Cup win against Swindon in September, while Bridges has started just two games since snapping an achilles against Malaga in the UEFA Cup a year ago.

Radebe has defied chronic knee problems to play in the last three matches and is due to have a testimonial next year if he stays.

Bridges, ravaged by injuries in the last three seasons, has slowly being building up his fitness.

The popular striker has been a regular on the bench but has started only one Premiership game this season - the 4-1 home defeat against Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Leeds have rejected Stoke's plea to keep right back Frazer Richardson on loan. Richardson, 21, has been at Stoke for a month and scored their winner against West Ham on Tuesday night, but Gray wants him back.

Gray was surprised to find he had no specialist right back to deputise for the injured Gary Kelly against Bolton on November 22.

Central defender Zoumana Camara filled in for one match, but Kelly then returned and the Frenchman has not appeared in the first team since.

Gray is set to keep an unchanged side against Fulham on Sunday (4.05) in a match to be televised by Sky.

Although David Batty is recovering well from the ankle injury that kept him out against Chelsea last Saturday, his stand-in Stephen McPhail is set to keep his place as Leeds seek to make it three matches undefeated.

Updated: 11:19 Friday, December 12, 2003