The Whites had a bid accepted by The Blues, along with Coventry City, but while John has been away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago, his old club Nottingham Forest also came in with a rival bid.
The forward now has three options available to him, but the signs are suggesting it has been narrowed down to just two, with both Midland clubs in the frame.
Kevin Blackwell said: "I'm not at all disappointed at missing out on him. The way I look at it, if he doesn't want to come here and play for Leeds, then we don't want him."