RUMOURS of a Sunderland bid for Rovers midfielder Jason McAteer are just an example of "agent work" according to Ewood manager Graeme Souness.

The Republic of Ireland international, who was in the starting line-up for the first time in five months against Everton at the weekend, is desperate for regular first team football and has been linked with a number of Premier League and first division clubs.

But Souness said this morning: "We have not had a bid from Sunderland or anyone else."

Peter Reid has been trying to sign West Ham's Trevor Sinclair and recently said he was still hopeful of getting his man, but he has also spoken about a second signing and certainly has the money available to have a couple of plunges into the transfer market.

That is what Souness has been trying to do and he admitted that he was having to sit and wait to hear whether his bid for an as yet unindentified defender has been successful.

The overseas player has been linked with a move to Ewood Park since the end of last week and Souness said: "We are just waiting to hear what the other club has to say. We will know by the end of the week whether we have managed to sign him."