BRIAN Kidd looks set to step up his interest in West Ham midfield man Steve Lomas when Blackburn Rovers visit Upton Park on Saturday, desperately needing a boost in their battle for Premiership survival.

And Hammers' mysterious links with two South Korean stars might yet turn out to be a major factor in persuading the London club to let the Northern Ireland skipper move on.

Rovers' need for midfield strengthening is obvious, their interest in Lomas has already been expressed and Saturday's game provides an ideal opportunity for the two clubs to discuss a £4 million deal.

There was never any real chance that West Ham boss Harry Redknapp would agree to let Lomas join Rovers just before they visited Upton Park and I am sure that scenario was accepted and understood at Ewood.

But, with Saturday's game out of the way, it could be a different matter.

There is also the confused question of South Korean striker Choi Yong-Soo and his international team-mate Kim Doh-Keun.

West Ham say the pair are simply training with them but Choi's club LG Cheetahs claim those denials are just a "smokescreen" to fend off interest from other clubs and that he will sign this week.

Han Woong-Soo, deputy manager of LG Cheetahs, and LG's agent Michel Poels met a West Ham representative in London yesterday. "I expect the final contract to be signed on Friday, following a physical test on Thursday," said Kwon Hyuk-Chul, a Cheetahs executive.

Is it more than mere co-incidence that the cost of the two South Koreans is said to be around £4 million, money which West Ham boss Harry Redknapp says he does not have at the moment but which is the kind of fee Rovers would expect to pay for Lomas?

The present imbalances in the Ewood squad means they are desperate for an experienced midfield campaigner.

And, even though a great deal of money has been spent over the past 18 months, they do not have a natural replacement for right back Jeff Kenna, who is now facing weeks on the sidelines after tearing a calf muscle last night.

Kenna's injury compounded a miserable night as Rovers crashed out of the FA Cup.

But the full back has been playing under handicap, with ankle and Achilles problems, for some time to help the cause. He has finally paid the price and it leaves Rovers with more major problems.

Losing the prize of a home quarter final against Everton was a blow but, in the longer term, it might be seen in a different light, especially with the personnel available at the moment.

Kidd has made no secret of the fact that the Premiership survival is his priority.

"It is for me - I won't tell any lies - and if anyone tells you differently they are kidding themselves," he said.

"When I got the job I knew the seriousness of it and when the games have come in a clutch, like they have, we've not been able to work on the training pitch for the last fortnight," he said.

"Unfortunately we have not had the bodies about us to handle all these games. It's not the ideal preparation when they are having one or two days' treatment, missing training and then playing." He paid tribute to players like Jason Wilcox who have played out of position to help the side through their shortage of central midfield men.

But, even though staying up is all that really matters, Kidd admitted his disappointment at going out of the competition.

"You don't want to lose any game," he said. "You try to prepare for every game the same way, you can't say that one is more important than another.

"But sometimes things are out of your control."

The few remaining tickets for the West Ham game will be on sale until noon tomorrow, subject to availability. It is an all-ticket match and seats will not be on sale on Saturday.

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