Olivier Dacourt is poised to join Italian Serie A club Roma on loan until the end of the season.

The French international has been a peripheral figure at Elland Road, since Terry Venables’ appointment as manager in the summer.

Dacourt’s agent Bruno Satin said Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale was due to hold talks with his Roma counterparts imminently, with a view to concluding a deal in the next 48 hours.

Satin confirmed: ‘I know the clubs are supposed to be meeting today to sort out the transfer of Olivier.

‘If the clubs agree something then I will finalise something with Roma regarding personal terms.

‘I hope the clubs come to some sort of arrangement and the deal can go through.

Dacourt has barely figured for Leeds this season and he antagonised Venables last month when he described Leeds’ form as a’disgrace’. For his part, Venables replied that he would happily drive the player to Italy to satisfy the Dacourt’s desire to play in Serie A.