Souness says Duff move to Chelsea not definite

BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness insists there is no certainty that Damien Duff will move to Chelsea despite the clubs agreeing a £17million fee.

Souness says that the fee is an astonishing sum in the current economic climate in football but he has not given up hope of keeping the Republic of Ireland winger.

Souness said: “I can understand why he wants to talk to Chelsea but that doesn’t mean he’ll be signing for them.

“If he does end up going there then the money we’ll receive is a hell of a lot, not just in today’s market but the market of two years ago. It’s a phenomenal amount.

“But we would be losing a top player. Left-sided players are very hard to come by and that’s why a man who could go out and bid for anyone in the world has gone for Damien, because the people who are advising him know that players in his position are very difficult to find,” he said.

Meanwhile, full-back Wayne Bridge was yesterday finally granted his wish to speak to Chelsea about a £7million move to Stamford Bridge to further his England career.

Russian owner Roman Abramovich also suffered the first setback in his bid to corner the transfer market at Stamford Bridge when Nigel Martyn turned down a move from Leeds to become Carlo Cudicini’s understudy.

However, Bridge appears set to agree terms with Chelsea after handing in a transfer request at St Mary’s, with Graeme Le Saux possibly heading in the opposite direction.