Leeds United may keep hold of Jermaine Beckford and allow him to leave for nothing in the summer.

Goal-machine Beckford, who is out of contract in the summer, is wanted by Newcastle with Wigan and Everton also keeping tabs on the situation.

But Bates is doing everything he can to make sure Leeds get promoted.

He said: "Whether Beckford has to stay and honour his contract and leave for nothing at the end of May, or whether we now pick up one or two million is entirely down to manager Simon Grayson. His job is to win us promotion.

"If he decides Beckford will still get us 10, 12, 15 goals and we forfeit the money we would get because he has stayed until the end of the season, then that is Simon's decision."