ASTON Villa are all set to join the race for David Dunn after Rovers today admitted they are resigned to losing their star midfielder.

Dunn's refusal to sign a new extension to his contract has already sparked a frantic summer chase for his signature.

A £5.5m bid from Birmingham - which included several unsatisfactory clauses for Rovers - has already been thrown out, while Everton boss David Moyes hopes to have better luck after reportedly being ready to table a no-strings-attached £5m bid.

And as speculation mounts, Rovers' Chief Executive John Williams has exclusively told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph the club is almost certainly a "reluctant seller".

Williams said: "We have already said we would be reluctant sellers when it comes to David Dunn - but right now I think that's what we are.

"We have already had a bid from Birmingham rejected and, as yet, there are no other bids on the table.

"But I would not be surprised if other clubs are looking because David is a gifted, young English midfielder."

As I understand it, new Villa manager David O'Leary has told chairman Doug Ellis he is desperate to make Dunn his first major signing.

Former Leeds boss O'Leary had targeted ex-Elland Road favourite Lee Bowyer until the England midfielder chose to join Newcastle on a four-year deal late last week.

Now O'Leary, who has been told he has around £5m to spend on a high profile signing, has switched his attentions to Dunn.

Turkish defender Alpay - already a confirmed summer target for Rovers boss Graeme Souness - could even be a make-weight in any deal for Dunn, who is currently enjoying a sunshine break and steadfastly refusing to be drawn on the hype surrounding his mooted Ewood Park departure.

Dunn said: "There's been speculation all season about myself leaving the club, but at the minute I'm on holiday with my family and my girlfriend and I'm just enjoying myself.

"In a couple of weeks I will go back home and I can start talking about football again.

"It's been quite a disappointing season for me, but hopefully I can come back next season and I hope to go on and win things - whether that's with Blackburn or not."

Meanwhile, another Rovers target - Rangers defender Lorenzo Amoruso - has thrown a spanner in the works by insisting he wants to remain in Scotland.

The Italian, who this week celebrated the Glasgow giants' 50th title-winning campaign at the expense of city rivals Celtic, said: "I hope to stay because Rangers is my life.

"I love Rangers and everything is on hold at the moment."

Former Blackburn defender Henning Berg is reportedly in talks with Valerenga, according to the Norwegian club's director Kjetil Siem.

"The Norway captain is good enough for the Norwegian top league and therefore is also good enough for Valerenga," Siem said.

The Oslo club hope to have Berg in their squad by the autumn.