Blackburn Rovers bid to land German centre-forward Oliver Bierhoff could still be alive today.

Manager Ray Harford revealed the background to the transfer talks with Italian Serie A club Udinese when he spoke to 250 Blackburn fans at a supporters' football forum at Ewood Park last night.

Bierhoff has emerged as Harford's number one target since the departure of Alan Shearer to Newcastle United.

The Blackburn chief explained: "To this day I don't think it's dead.

"If you speak to the agent, he still thinks the deal is on-going. I'm a little bit cold on it now. But I think if Udinese could get a replacement next week they'd be on the telephone to Blackburn to say that you can have him now.

"We went out to meet with Udinese's chairman and his son and they were ready to sell him to us if they could find an adequate replacement.

"It was the same situation for us when Alan Shearer left. I think Oliver wanted to come to us and an agreement wasn't far away.

"Udinese are very similar to Wimbledon and they are desperate to stay in Serie A. But the chairman felt that selling his star player was bad business without a replacement in the pipeline. That's why the deal faltered."

Harford added: "I honestly believe Oliver Bierhoff would would have been perfect for Blackburn Rovers. He's a goalscorer in his own right. "He's a good character and a very intelligent boy. I phoned up Germany's assistant, Rainher Bonhoff, and he said he was in a different class."

Harford also revealed that Rovers had Bierhoff's German team-mate Jurgen Klinsmann firmly under the transfer microscope.

He added: "Jack Walker had said to go out and get Klinsmann if we could.

"But, at present, the timing is not right for him to leave Bayern Munich. If he was available I think he'd have been a sensation for us in the short-term.

"The situation with Jurgen is that there is an on-going feud between between him and Trappatoni, the Bayern Munich manager.

"That will probably last for another six to eight weeks and then they will cool down a bit."

Harford said a big signing was "not imminent" but the world-wide search would go on.

He added: "Bierhoff was the closest we got to a signing. But we were disappointed in three or four areas when we pursued other transfers.

"We're in an awful position in the league and that could put people off.

"We need a big name, I accept that. But I can't put a time scale on how long it will be before we have the right player in place."

Dutch striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk - believed to be a Rovers target - is staying at Celtic for the time being.

The giant forward, who scored twice for Holland against Wales on Saturday, has had talks with manager Tommy Burns designed to clear the air after their long-running contract dispute.

Celtic claim he has demanded an improved pay deal, but the Dutchman has denied he has asked for more money.

It is believed the row has yet to be completely resolved, although the two parties appear to have reached a temporary settlement with Van Hooijdonk back in training with the first team squad, after been forced to work out with the reserves.

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