Rovers show interest in unsettled Dahlin

Football

Ray Harford, the Blackburn Rovers manager, is to make a pounds 3m bid to sign the Swedish striker Martin Dahlin from Roma, writes Alan Nixon.

Harford is in a race with Dahlin's former club Borussia Monchengladbach to rescue the powerful 28-year-old, who is unhappy in Italy. Dahlin joined Roma only in the summer for pounds 2.5m, but has already had disputes with the coaching staff. Harford is also said to be weighing up a pounds 1m bid for Preston's Republic of Ireland Under-21 winger Kevin Kilbane.

Peter Robinson, the Liverpool chief executive, has denied reports linking Kenny Dalglish with a return to Anfield as director of football. "There is no foundation whatsoever in that story, which seems to have been floated around about 50 times," Robinson said.

He also denied Les Ferdinand was moving from Newcastle to Liverpool in exchange for Neil Ruddock plus pounds 1.5m.

Barcelona and their former coach Johan Cruyff begin a legal battle today when a Spanish court will decide whether the Dutchman's dismissal was reasonable. Cruyff's lawyers are claiming around pounds 525,000 from the club, while Barcelona allege the coach, who was sacked in May, committed "grave professional faults".

Milan's veteran captain, Franco Baresi, will be out for a month after twisting his left ankle during an Italian Cup victory over Empoli yesterday.