AS Blackburn Rovers move to the verge of signing Everton's 22-year-old centre back Shane Duffy, we find out more about the club's potential new recruit.

1. Duffy was actually a talented Gaelic footballer as a youngster with Doire Colmcille CLG in Ireland before focusing on football.

2. He was born in Derry in Northern Ireland and represented them up to under 21 level before switching to the Republic of Ireland. His switch, together with the likes of Darron Gibson and Daniel Kearns, prompted the IFA to take a case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to prevent players switching from Northern Ireland to the Republic. Their case failed.

3. Duffy required life-saving surgery in 2010 after damaging his liver in a freak collision with a goalkeeper during a Republic of Ireland development squad match.

4. The 6ft 4in defender moved to Burnley on loan from Everton in March 2011 during Eddie Howe’s reign at Turf Moor, although he made only one appearance in a match against Ipswich.

5. After loan spells at Scunthorpe and Yeovil as well as 10 appearances for Everton, Duffy made his first senior appearance for the Republic of Ireland in Philadelphia in May in a friendly against Costa Rica. His Everton debut came in the Europa League away to AEK Athens in 2009.