Newcastle linked with Duff

Should he fail to return to the Premiership with Blackburn Rovers this season, Damien Duff will be offered the opportunity to play in the top flight next season by Newcastle United. Gordon Milne, Newcastle's director of football, watched Duff (21) again at Nottingham Forest last Saturday, and Newcastle are hopeful an offer of £2 1/2 million sterling will persuade Graeme Souness to part with his Irish winger.

Duff has one more season after this left on his contract at Ewood Park, and any transfer is dependent on the outcome of Blackburn's season in the first division. But the interest from the Premiership is an indication of Duff's return to form this year.

Were he to move to the northeast he would resume his relationship with Alan Irvine, the man who spotted him as a 14-year-old. Irvine was in charge of Blackburn's youth academy then, a role he now fulfills at Newcastle.

Duff would also link up with Shay Given, once of Blackburn himself. The Newcastle goalkeeper came back early from the club's mid-season break in Spain yesterday to receive treatment on the finger he dislocated in last Sunday's match at Charlton.

The finger continued to give Given problems in Spain, but he is confident of playing next Saturday against Manchester City and as of now has no plans to withdraw from the Republic of Ireland friendly on Wednesday week.