STEPHANE Henchoz's fierce loyalty to Roy Hodgson means he is expected to start the Premiership campaign wearing the blue and white of Blackburn Rovers, writes TONY DEWHURST.

Champions Manchester United made a surprise last ditch bid to lure the Hamburg defender to Old Trafford at the weekend.

But today Henchoz revealed he is desperate to link up with his soccer mentor - at Ewood Park.

Reports say United failed in deals to clinch the signings of Henchoz and Italian hardman Lorenzo Amoruso.

Henchoz said: "I am not ready to go to a big club like Manchester United yet. I have been injured and it will be hard for me.

"It would be too easy for everything to blow up if I did not make a good start in England.

"I know Roy Hodgson well and I know he will help me to make it easy. I am only 22 and I still have time to move to a big club when my contract finishes.

"It was a very difficult decision. But I just could not turn down Roy Hodgson."

United chairman Martin Edwards topped Rovers' bid by offering £3.2 million to Hamburg.

Edwards admitted: "We spoke to Hamburg about Stephane Henchoz. We also spoke to the players' agent, but he advised us that Henchoz had decided to go to Ewood Park."

The Henchoz transfer is still far from being signed and sealed though. While personal terms with Henchoz were agreed last week, Rovers are believed to want a cast-iron guarantee about the Swiss defender's complete recovery from a serious ankle injury.

But Ewood secretary Tom Finn was due to fly out today to try and finalise the deal.

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