Blackburn Rovers are believed to be in negotiations with relegated Portsmouth over striker John Utaka.

 

Rovers have refused to confirm their interest but one offer has already been declined and they are understood to have returned to the south coast club with an increased bid for the 28-year old Nigerian international. Fulham and Sunderland are also both said to be interested in the player but Rovers appear to be ahead of the pack which also includes a number of continental clubs.

Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce has indicated that he sees his longer term future away from club management with the lure of international coaching still present. The man who was close to replacing Sven Goren Eriksson as England manager before Steve McClaren was appointed has suffered from ill health in the past couple of years and reckons that he is likely to leave the Premiership in the not too distant future although not before making more progress at Ewood Park. “I would like to coach a national team if one came up” said the former Bolton and Newcastle boss, “Another two to three years in the Premier League is about what I want to do. We’ll see how far we can take Blackburn. ”