BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness has recommended to the Rovers board not to push ahead with a deal for Henning Berg.

Ewood chief Souness told the club's directors that a move for the Norwegian international was 'too risky' at a board meeting yesterday.

And he now looks set to turn his attentions to the Continent as he steps up his bid for defensive cover.

With Berg set to play the last game of his three month loan spell on Saturday, Souness has still not given up all hope of persuading Berg his future lies with Rovers.

But, with Manchester United believed to be asking for £2 million and the player wanting at least the same again in wages, Souness has balked at coughing up around £5 million for a player who is now in his thirties.

"We are still talking but, because of the transfer fee and the wages involved, I can't recommend to the board that we go ahead with that deal -- it's just too expensive," said Souness.

"It's still not dead but, at this moment in time, I've recommended that it would cost the club too much money.

"We've got to remember the fact we are still in the First Division and the kind of money we lost in our last financial year.

"So I'm trying to be sensible in what I'm doing. "Fortunately for Henning, he's been at Manchester United who are the biggest payers in the land.

"And there's still talk of transfer fees being abolished. So, when you put the two together, it makes the whole deal too risky for us."

Speculation has been rife over Berg's future at Ewood in recent weeks.

But Souness has angrily denied any suggestions that the money is starting to run out at Rovers.

"There's all this talk about the money having dried up at the club but I want to make it clear that the board have never turned me down over anything yet," said Souness.

"There's still big money there for me to spend but I just feel this deal is too risky for us.

"Nobody is more desperate than me to see us get out of this league and I won't be shy in spending money when I think it's right.

"But I just feel this isn't right for us.

"Henning has done very well for us and he's been everything we expected of him.

"But he's at United where they are paying big, big money and it's just too risky."

Souness will now look abroad for a replacement in a bid to bolster his defensive resources.

And, though he has earmarked a number of other alternatives, this latest development could have opened a new door of opportunity for the likes of Christian Dailly. "Before we brought Henning in, we considered a number of other possibilities," said Souness.

"So we do have other people in mind.

"But we've got cover in that area in the likes of Christian Dailly, Martin Taylor and Marlon Broomes.

"So something doesn't have to happen tomorrow but it's obviously an area I'm still keen to strengthen."