BRIAN Kidd's interest in Benfica's former Liverpool defender Steve Harkness could yet be revived - though nothing is unlikely to happen in time for Saturday's opening First Division game against Port Vale.

Left back Harkness, who wants out of the Portuguese giants and is likely to be available for around £750,000, has been a potential target for Blackburn Rovers since the end of last season.

And Ewood chief executive John Williams was today reluctant to close the door on the poossibility of him becoming Kidd's fourth summer signing.

But a report that Harkness had flown in last night to complete a deal with Rovers this morning was dismissed.

"If he has flown in then I know nothing about it," said Williams.

"The fact is that we had informal discussions with Benfica at the beginning of the summer and decided, at the time, not to go ahead."

But the chief executive also refused to kill off any chances of a deal being done, even though he said that Rovers were not currently discussing a deal with Benfica.

There does not seem to be any future for Harkness at the Stadium of Light following the departure of Graeme Souness.

And one of his former Benfica team-mates Mark Pembridge has just clinched his ticket out with a move to Everton.

With the start of the European league seasons imminent, transfer activity is likely to increase concerning players such as Harkness.

It would not be a major surprise if there were to be developments on that front.

Similarly, striker Robbie Blake's situation at Bradford City will come under the microscope this weekend when they start their Premiership campaign.

Blake, for whom Rovers have had a £2.5 million bid rejected, is set to be in the Bradford squad to face Middlesbrough but might well be left out of the team.

Sources close to Valley Parade believe he could be on his way out soon but Rovers' hopes of signing him could depend on whether there are any other bids.

At the moment, that does not seem to be the case. But, if he is to join Rovers, it would probably have to happen within the next week.

The Ewood club, incidentally, have had no contact whatsoever from Inter Milan despite a story in the national Press claiming that Inter Milan were great admirers of the Scottish international's ability.

Bayern Munich were another club said to have monitored Dailly's progress since last year's World Cup but Williams s aid: "It's very flattering to see our players mentioned in such terms but we have not had any contact with Inter Milan or anybody about Christian."

The manager is pleased with his three signings so far and believes that Craig Short, Simon Grayson and Alan Kelly are all top-flight quality.

But he is also still looking for more. "I am delighted first of all that they considered us and then decided to join us," he said.

"It shows what we are trying to achieve, even if we have dropped down a division, because I feel they are Premiership-class players."

"Everybody thought we would be jumping in early but, when the players became available, we moved.

"We are still looking. The main thing is to get what we believe to be a balance to the squad to cover for loss of form, injuries and suspensions. That was one of our problems last season, the squad was usually picking itself.

"And, hopefully, we will not have too many suspensions this season."

Saturday's opponents Port Vale will be without striker Martin Foyle, who once had a loan spell at Ewood. He starts a three-match suspension hanging over him from last season.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.