Aston Villa have jumped to the head of the queue in the chase for Wolves' unsettled midfield star Steve Daley, whose asking price on the transfer market is around half a million pounds.

But Villa face new opposition as Daley, subject to tranfer rumours for the past two years, looks set to leave Molineux before the start of next season.

The latest club to show more than a passing interest are Leeds United, whose manager Jimmy Adamson has been an admirer of Daley for quite some time.

And Daley would jump at the chance to return to his native Yorkshire. However, at Molineux, assistant manager Richie Barker reported today that no-one had come in with a bid for his England B international.

Besides Villa and Leeds, Machester City continue to show an interest in Daley.

That is beginning to dwindle though, according to chairman Peter Swales, as the Maine Road club, having sold Gary Owen to Albion for £450,000, prepare to use transfer-listed Asa Hartford as their trump card in a bid for Nottingham Forest's Tony Woodcock.

Swale today ruled out any chance of Hartford joining Wolves - "He just doesn't want to go there" - and at the same time he felt it unlikely that City would be bidding for Daley.

At Villa Park, manager Ron Saunders made a "no comment" observation on the Daley subject though it is no secret he tried to sign him when Sammy Chung was in charge at Molineux.

Saunders still has a high regard for Daley and if he did move in with a bid, the Villa boss could have a player in mind for a part exchange.

While the "Daley for where?" rumours continue, Barker can only sit back and wait for the telephone to ring. If it does, he could turn down all enquiries but the signs are that Villa are ready at least to make their bid.