DENNIS WISE is expected to be named as the new manager of Leeds United today after Ken Bates, the Leeds chairman, was refused, then granted, permission by Swindon Town to approach their manager. Wise will be joined by Gustavo Poyet, his assistant and former team-mate at Chelsea when Bates was their chairman.

Bates is understood to have approached Swindon on Saturday evening, after Leeds’s 5-1 defeat by Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, and spoken to Wise and Poyet from his apartment in Monte Carlo on Sunday. However, the Wiltshire club yesterday withdrew permission for talks to proceed any further when discussions over compensation stalled.

Both Wise and Poyet had clauses in their contracts, with Swindon allowing them to talk to Barclays Premiership or Coca-Cola Championship clubs, but the sticking point was the amount of compensation, specified as a year’s combined wages. However, once Bates had made up his mind, there was seldom any doubt that an agreement would be reached — especially over an amount thought to be less than £200,000 for the pair. Bates, who is godfather to Wise’s son, finally made Swindon an offer they could not refuse yesterday evening and the departure of John Carver, the Leeds caretaker manager, followed shortly afterwards last night.

Agreeing personal terms with Wise and Poyet is likely to be a straightforward matter and the new partnership should be confirmed in time to be presented to the crowd at Elland Road at tonight’s Carling Cup tie against Southend United, although David Geddis, who has been assisting Carver, is expected to pick the team.

Swindon, meanwhile, have made David Tuttle, the former Millwall manager who was acting head of youth and scouting director, their caretaker manager.

For Bates, the urgency in finding a replacement for Kevin Blackwell, who was dismissed last month, increased when Leeds were thrashed on Saturday, a seventh defeat in nine matches, which effectively brought Carver’s reign to an end. Leeds are second from the bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship, with only three wins from 13 matches.

Wise and Poyet both became close to Bates when they played for him at Stamford Bridge, and there was speculation when Wise left Millwall last year that he was destined for Elland Road.

Instead, he joined Swindon this summer, summoning Poyet from his native Uruguay, where he had been coaching in the national youth set-up, and appointing him to his first coaching job in this country.