The Leeds United chairman, Ken Bates, claims he has rejected an application from Sven-Goran Eriksson to fill the vacant managerial position at Elland Road.

Leeds have been without a manager since the departure of Simon Grayson on 1 February, with Neil Redfearn taking caretaker charge for the 3-0 victory at Bristol City on Saturday.

Redfearn will remain at the helm for the Championship side's next three league matches, after Bates revealed Eriksson's interest would not be followed up.

Bates told the Yorkshire Post: "We've had Eriksson, would you believe, but he won't be coming. But we're not going to make any hurried appointment because the next appointment is the big one. Not necessarily big in name but big in significance for the future of Leeds United.

"It would be any manager's ambitions to manage a big club and Leeds is that. It also brings a wealth of unwanted applications for the wrong reasons. That's why we're having to be careful.

"We don't want any instant miracle maker, the fans might think it's a good idea but you rarely find one. We have to get someone who want to come to Leeds for the right reasons.

"We're looking very carefully at the options and the implications of appointing anybody. What baggage do they carry?"

Redfearn, 46, will be in charge for the next 10 days. Bates said: "We've decided that Neil will be in charge of the team for at least the next three games – Brighton, Coventry and Doncaster. They're all winnable and after all the maelstrom we're only two points off the play-offs.

"After the impressive start Neil's made, not just with the win but with his presence and start around Thorp Arch, he'll be given his chance to demonstrate his abilities while we consider the matter carefully and in no hurry.

"As you can imagine we've been inundated with applications from the cheeky to the outlandish."