Dublin set for Blackburn

Blackburn yesterday agreed a fee of £5.9 million with Coventry for Dion Dublin, rising to an appearance-linked £6.75 million, but then announced they will not break their wage structure to sign the versatile England international.

Dublin is now expected to meet Roy Hodgson for talks. "I'm confident that we have a good club to sell to Dion but there are always personal terms," the Blackburn manager said. "We have a wage policy and a wage structure here and, while I consider it a very generous one, it's still a wage structure.

"I'm not prepared to recommend to Jack Walker (Blackburn's owner) that we should throw out all our principles for a player, no matter how much I want him."

The 29-year-old, who signed a new contract at Highfield Road in the summer worth around £20,000 a week, cost Coventry £2 million from Manchester United in September 1994. Rovers have activated a clause in Dublin's contract stating that he must be informed of interest registered above £5 million.

City rejected a £4 million bid from Blackburn in the summer, when Dublin stalled over his new deal and Middlesbrough also tried to buy him.

Dublin's acquisition would be timely. Blackburn are set to lose Chris Sutton (suspension); Kevin Gallacher is out with a broken arm, Jason Wilcox is in need of a hernia operation and Martin Dahlin is away on loan at Hamburg.

"People will understand that, if you get £7 million, which is pretty much what it will be, for a player who is 30 in three or four months' time, that is probably full value," said Bryan Richardson, Coventry's chairman. "We have been negotiating hard over the last few days."

The chairman added that Coventry have lined up a replacement, who may be on the books in time to face Arsenal on Saturday. Names in the frame include Lee Hughes of West Bromwich, Kevin Phillips of Sunderland and Matt Jansen of Crystal Palace, although Coventry immediately quashed speculation linking them with Teddy Sheringham. Tottenham and Newcastle are showing interest in Brondby's international defender Soren Colding, according to reports in the Danish press. However the 25-year-old will not be available until his club are eliminated from the Champions League.

Former Spain coach Javier Clemente is to take over at struggling Spanish first division side Real Betis, the club's fourth boss since the end of last season. Clemente resigned last month after six years in charge of the Spanish national side following a disappointing World Cup when they failed to qualify for the second round.