ERIC CLAPTON, hailed by many as the world’s greatest living guitarist, may be about to land a chart-topping publishing deal worth at least £3.5m.

His agent is auctioning the worldwide rights to his life story to Britain’s leading publishing houses and has given them until Wednesday to come up with the highest bid.

Clapton is understood to have rejected an offer of £2.5m. If his demands are met it is likely to be the most lucrative publishing deal for a rock memoir by a British musician.Ronnie Wood, the Rolling Stones guitarist, was paid a reputed £1.5m for his forthcoming biography. A similar amount was offered to John Peel, the BBC presenter, before he died last year.

Ed Victor, Clapton’s literary agent, has promised that whoever wins will get a “very frank” account of Clapton’s turbulent career, including his alcoholism and drug abuse as well as his links with legendary musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles.

Clapton will also describe his relationships with some of the world’s most glamorous women, including the models Naomi Campbell and Marie Helvin, the singer Sheryl Crow, and Sharon Stone, the actress.

“Eric has known everybody and played with everybody. He has terrific recall and a very dry wit. He will be very frank about his life,” Victor said.

The book will describe Clapton’s life from his childhood in 1950s Surrey and how his rock career began when he was given a guitar at the age of 13 in 1958. It will also chronicle his involvement with bands such as the Yardbirds, Cream and Derek and the Dominos.

However, the real selling point is the stories he plans to tell about the legendary figures he has met and worked with. Besides Hendrix and the Beatles, these include Steve Winwood, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck.

He will also write about his relationship with Patti Boyd, the model whom he persuaded to leave George Harrison and marry him in 1979. He wrote Layla and Wonderful Tonight for her, but the couple separated in 1988.

It is expected Clapton will also write about the death of Conor, his four-year-old son, who fell from a 53rd-floor Manhattan apartment.

Victor declined to comment on the sums he is demanding for the rights but said Clapton was keen on the project.

“He has reached a plateau in his life when looking back is something he would like to do,” he said.

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