BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today insisted he's not prepared to get drawn into a bidding war for Millwall midfielder Steven Reid.

Souness has already had a £2 million offer rejected for the highly-rated Republic of Ireland international.

But Lions chairman Theo Paphitis has refused to close the door on a move altogether by admitting the 22-year-old would be allowed to leave if the price is right.

However, Souness is determined he won't pay over the odds for a player who is unproven as yet in Premiership terms.

And he has warned the First Division club that if they don't start lowering their sights then he will look elsewhere.

"We made an offer for Steven Reid but their valuation and our valuation were very different," said Souness.

"That's not unusual in football. They're entitled to put whatever valuation they want on him and as the selling club they hold all the aces.

"But I'm not prepared to go beyond what we have offered already because we feel that's a fair price.

"I can tell you now, no-one will move for more than £2 million from the First Division this summer, apart from maybe Kevin Phillips at Sunderland or perhaps one or two of the players from West Ham."

Souness is thought to have a number of alternative options up his sleeve should his interest in Reid cool.

If David Dunn moves to Birmingham then the Rovers boss has already lined up another target who is seen as more of a central midfielder, whereas Reid prefers to operate out wide.

But nothing is likely to happen for at least another week or so as chief executive John Williams, the man who negotiates all transfers at Ewood, is currently away on holiday.

Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has cleared the way for Rovers to land Lorenzo Amoruso after revealing the Italian is not a summer target for the Gunners.

Amoruso claimed Wenger was ready to join Rovers in the race for his signature but the Arsenal boss has moved quickly to deny those suggestions.

"Amoruso, good player though he is, is not a target for us," said Wenger.

Now Souness hopes to wrap up the signing of his number one summer transfer target in the next few days following further discussions with both the player and his agent, Andrea D'Amico.

"We met Graeme and we are still talking," said D'Amico.

"Talks are ongoing and we are still negotiating. We can consider an answer in a week's time.

"Maybe it will be before the weekend."