EWOOD hot-shot Andy Cole today revealed his former Manchester United team-mate Dwight Yorke would jump at the chance of a move to Blackburn this summer.

Cole still keeps in regular touch with the Trinidad and Tobago international after they forged a close friendship during their time together at Old Trafford.

And the former England striker has admitted that Yorke has privately confessed he would love to resurrect their prolific partnership at Ewood as he looks to end his United nightmare.

"I speak to Dwight all the time and he's said to me that he would love to come here," said Cole, speaking exclusively to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

"So if Manchester United and Blackburn can come to some kind of agreement then I can't see why the deal will not go ahead."

Ewood chief Graeme Souness has made no secret of the fact that Yorke remains his number one transfer target but, as things stand, the two clubs are still some way apart in their valuations of a player who once cost the Reds a club record £12.5 million from Aston Villa.

United are still holding out for £4million-plus whereas Rovers are only prepared to pay around half that.

However, Yorke's departure from Old Trafford now looks inevitable after the club failed to issue him with a new squad number -- further evidence of his spectacular fall from grace.

Cole, however, is still convinced his friend and former team-mate is exactly the type of signing who could take Rovers onto the next level.

"Dwight is a quality player, like I've said before, and if you want to improve the team then you've got to bring in quality players because the club has to move forward," said the Ewood goal-ace.

"We had our first season in the Premiership last year but we've got to move forward now and if you want to do that then you have to buy good players and he's definitely one of them.

"We had a great time together at Manchester United and I can't see why it wouldn't work again if he came here.

"I know it's difficult leaving a club like Manchester United but you're still going to play your football.

"When I first moved here a lot of people said I'd struggle to score goals.

"But I've always believed I'll score goals at whatever club I'm at and I think I proved that at the end of last season."

Cole has also stressed the importance of holding on to star winger Damien Duff as Rovers prepare for the new season.

Duff returned to pre-season training yesterday for the first time since he starred for Ireland in the World Cup.

And Cole hopes Souness and the Rovers board can persuade the 23-year-old to sign a new deal when they resume contract talks this weekend as they attempt to keep him out of the clutches of Liverpool and Manchester United.

"For me, we have no option but to keep players like Duffer," added Cole.

"The only way you can move forward as a club is to keep hold of people like Damien Duff and then buy better players to play around him.

"There's no point keeping Damien and then buying lesser players because he'll be saying to himself 'I want to be winning things every season.'

"Then, when the big clubs do come in for him, there will be a temptation to go."