Rovers close on McBride deal

Blackburn hope to complete a deal today to sign American international striker Brian McBride.

The club have agreed a fee, understood to be around £600,000 (€869,800), with the USA’s Major League Soccer, and are negotiating personal terms with the player’s representatives.

Blackburn manager Graeme Souness said: “We are talking to his people today and hope we can agree a deal. We have more or less tidied things up on the American side, it’s down to what the player wants and that should be decided by the end of the day.”

Souness also revealed that Dino Baggio had agreed “in principle” to return to Italy and join Serie A side Ancona.

Meanwhile Lucas Neill (groin) and Paul Gallagher (back) are rated as 50/50 to be fit for tomorrow’s visit to Manchester City.

Craig Short and Steven Reid, who both have hamstring injuries, are definitely out but Alan Mahon returns from a thigh strain and skipper Garry Flitcroft is back from suspension to face his old club.

Team (from): Friedel, Enckelman, Babbel, Taylor, Neill, Johansson, Gallagher, Tugay, Flitcroft, Douglas, Danns, Emerton, Mahon, Cole, Yorke, Gresko, Donnelly, Jansen.