Leeds United have agreed to sell Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United for £30m.

After being denied twice - earlier bids of £20m and £30m were rejected - Sir Alex Ferguson finally got his man earlier this afternoon.

Ferdinand will now have talks over personal terms - which should be a formality considering his oft-expressed willingness to move to Old Trafford - before completing a deal early next week.

Earlier today United and Leeds agreed to scrap the noon deadline for the transfer of Ferdinand.

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale had insisted on the deadline after receiving an offer way short of his valuation of the England defender.

Ridsdale spent the morning locked in talks with Old Trafford chief executive Peter Kenyon from his holiday home in the south of France.

And about 2pm today Leeds finally accepted £30m for Ferdinand, who they signed from West Ham for £18m.

The defender, who has served only one year of a five-year contract, asked for a transfer last week.