FRENCH ace Christophe Dugarry today claimed he was taking a pay cut in choosing AC Milan above Blackburn Rovers.

The former Bordeaux striker - due in action as France kick off their Euro 96 campaign tonight against Romania at St James's Park - revealed that Blackburn had offered him more money than Milan.

Dugarry opted for a £3.6million move to the Italian giants at the weekend and a lucrative three-year deal.

But he insisted: "Money is not the issue. I am ambitious and feel that going to Italy is the best career move at the moment.

"The Italian league is the best in the world and I must test myself there.

"I may come unstuck but I am ready for the challenge."

The weekend developments have sparked Rovers into a Euro 96 search for an alternative to Dugarry.

Ray Harford has been careful not to put all his eggs in one basket and has a number of players in mind.

But national coaches are unlikely to allow their players to be distracted by club negotiations during the tournament.

Rovers, however, will be tracking their targets throughout the tournament, every game closely scrutinised by the Ewood backroom team.

The Dugarry saga, though, does demonstrate that Rovers can now match the kind of wages on offer in the Italian Serie A.

And, while reports of wages in the region of £1 million-a-year are an exagerration, Rovers chairman Robert Coar knows he can compete on a level playing field when approaching the top stars.

He said: "The players all the clubs are after are in Euro 96.

"I suspect most clubs are in the same boat and most of the games are covered.

"But there is not a lot we can do if a player wants to stay on the continent.

"Dugarry probably prefers the continental lifestyle.

"The Italian way of life is more what he was used to in Bordeaux."

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