The AC Milan midfielder is closing in an a season-long move with a deal set to be finalised early next week.
Milan are willing to release Benedicic for the whole of the 2014-15 term and they and United have been discussing the option of including a clause in the deal which gives Leeds the right to sign the 18-year-old permanently next summer.
Benedicic – an attacking midfielder who was born in Slovenia and is part of Milan’s youth-team squad – is willing to come to the Championship and flew home early from Milan’s pre-season tour of the USA on Tuesday night to push the transfer to Leeds forward.
Milan coach Filippo Inzaghi was reluctant to lose Benedicic when United first enquired about him at the start of last month but Benedicic is far down the order of players at the San Siro and on the very fringes of Inzaghi’s plans.
His agent, Amir Ruznic, told the YEP: “Next week I hope to finish everything.”