Rangers keen on Ferguson return

Blackburn Rovers' midfielder Barry Ferguson looks set to return to Rangers for £5m just 17 months after he left Scotland, although the Newcastle United manager, Graeme Souness, could yet make a late bid for the player he brought to Ewood Park.

Blackburn Rovers' midfielder Barry Ferguson looks set to return to Rangers for £5m just 17 months after he left Scotland, although the Newcastle United manager, Graeme Souness, could yet make a late bid for the player he brought to Ewood Park.

The Glasgow club, who earned £8m from the sale of Jean-Alain Boumsong to Newcastle, are eager to bring home the captain of Scotland who has suffered from injury problems during his stay in England. Rangers sold Ferguson to Blackburn for £6.5m.

Rovers' chief executive, John Williams, said yesterday that the club was determined to try to keep Ferguson.

"We have received an offer from Rangers but we have informed Rangers that Barry is not for sale," he said.

Although Souness is an admirer of the 26-year-old Ferguson, his priority remains another central defender - either Manchester City's Sylvain Distin or Bayern Munich's Samuel Kuffour.

Kuffour, who is valued at around £500,000 because his contract runs out at the end of the season, is ready to talk to Newcastle as they attempt to rebuild their defence and see their chances of obtaining Distin fade. The 28-year-old Ghana international's agent, Fabio Parisi, was on Tyneside yesterday for preliminary discussions.

"Still nothing has been decided by Newcastle, but we expect to hear a decision from them within the next couple of days," Parisi said. "If that happens, then we can discuss things like personal terms perhaps early next week."

Rangers are still waiting on an answer from Liverpool's Swiss defender Stéphane Henchoz, who is considering around five options. The 30-year-old has been told that he has no future at Anfield and has received offers from Rangers, Celtic, Bolton Wanderers, Southampton and Feyenoord.

While he would prefer to remain in the north-west of England, Bolton's deal is the least attractive of the four and would mean that he would have to make up much of his money on appearances. While Rangers and Celtic have not come close to matching the money he commands at Liverpool, they are still a more attractive financial proposition.

The Scottish clubs both offer the virtual guarantee of Champions' League football for Henchoz. However, he is hopeful that Bolton would improve their offer to allow him and his family to stay in England.

The final part of the trading of players between Scotland and England's north west could involve a move by Manchester City for Celtic's Bobo Baldé if Newcastle yet succeed in signing Distin. The north-east club had an offer for Distin rejected on Friday.