The proposed £5 million transfer of David Batty from Newcastle United to Leeds United, seemingly progressing smoothly yesterday morning, appeared to have hit turbulence last night when Ruud Gullit indicated he would prefer a player-exchange rather than simply take the money on offer.

Gullit badly needs a strong central defender and the Leeds captain Lucas Radebe is believed to be his target. Leeds, however, are in the process of negotiating a new four-year contract with Radebe that would make him the highest-paid player in the club's history. Their manager David O'Leary has said Radebe would only leave Leeds "over my dead body", so a swap involving Batty and him is unlikely.

According to Gullit, Newcastle have not formally accepted Leeds's offer for Batty, who trained with Newcastle's reserves yesterday, and the Dutchman may feel inclined to leave him there until Leeds are prepared to renegotiate.

"This is not all about money," Gullit said. "It's about players. You can have the money but not be able to spend it. I think Leeds want something off us and we will see what we can get off them. The board has been in touch with Leeds but it depends on what we can do."

Having submitted a written transfer request yesterday morning, Batty strode out of Newcastle's training ground at lunchtime carrying a few personal possessions and as usual saying nothing.

His agent Hayden Evans was more forthcoming, saying it was "David's desire" to rejoin Leeds. The Yorkshire club offered £5 million for him six weeks ago and, despite the Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd saying "there is no chance of David Batty leaving St James' Park", the player's demeanour since has suggested he is keen to move.

According to Gullit this has been "in the air" since the summer, even though Batty signed a new five-year deal shortly before the end of last season. "David Batty has asked for a transfer," Gullit said yesterday at his regular Friday press conference, "but I haven't accepted the offer yet (from Leeds). He will be training with us until a deal is done.

"The problem is that in this period no club wants to let players go. We have been very honest, there has been no row and I value David very highly, but if the player is not happy then you cannot get 100 per cent from him. Leeds want him to be in Leeds and his family want him to be in Leeds. Your family must be happy.

"There were times when the team bus would pass Leeds and other players would say: `Hey Batty, there's the stadium.' So it was always in the air even before I came."

The decisive moment came two weeks ago when Gullit dropped Batty against Sheffield Wednesday, only to bring him on after 36 minutes for Dietmar Hamann. Afterwards Gullit said Batty had proved "he must be in the team", but his intention of "making Batty feel part of it" did not work. "I asked him again about it and he finally came out with it: Leeds and his family want him there. That's it."

One player Gullit re-affirmed would not be leaving is Alan Shearer. "I want him to stay and Alan has said he wants to stay. The issue is closed so don't ask me about it again."