Mark Viduka will miss Leeds United's English premier league match against Middlesbrough on Saturday as he remains in Melbourne to be with his seriously ill father.

Leeds manager Eddie Gray said, however, he hoped the Australian striker would return to England next week in time for the away match against Aston Villa on February 7.

Viduka flew to Melbourne on compassionate leave on January 10 after his father Joe was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with a serious heart condition.

A Leeds spokesman said Joe had made some improvement, but there were still concerns over his health.

"I have spoken to Mark and he won't be returning until next week at the earliest," Gray said.

With the month-long transfer window closing on Friday, it was becoming increasingly likely that Viduka would remain at Leeds despite claims the crisis ridden club would sell the STG5 million ($A11.76 million) -rated Australian international.

The club said it had received no firm offers for the 28-year-old while his agent Andrea D'Amico said he would make no comment until after the transfer period ended at the close of business on Friday.

Viduka has been linked in the last 12 months with premier league rivals Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as Italian clubs Roma and Inter Milan, Spanish giants Barcelona and Germany's Bayern Munich.

But D'Amico has been unable to secure a deal.

Leeds, which has debts of STG82 million ($A192m) and has until Friday to stave off administration, has said it does not want to sell Viduka as it wants to hang on to its best players in its fight to avoid relegation.

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