BLACKBURN Rovers are close to forging a unique partnership with Belgian club side Cercle Brugge.

Talks between the two clubs have been on-going for some time and negotiations are now said to be at an 'advanced stage'.

If a deal can be agreed between the two parties then Blackburn boss Graeme Souness would get first option on the Belgian club's best players.

In return, some of Rovers' most promising youngsters could make the move in the opposite direction, which would see them gain vital first team experience in the Belgian First Division.

Rovers' chief executive, John Williams, said: "We've had discussions with their officials about a possible link-up and those talks are still on-going.

"We haven't actually signed an agreement as yet but talks are at quite an advanced stage."

Rovers have been looking to strike-up a partnership with a 'feeder club' for sometime and they invited Cercle Brugge officials over to Ewood for the recent Premiership game with Newcastle United where talks took place at director level.

If a deal can be agreed then Rovers will follow in the footsteps of leading Premiership rivals like Manchester United and Arsenal, who have forged similar links with Belgian club sides Antwerp and Beveren in recent years.

Cercle Brugge gained promotion to the Jupiler League at the end of last season and they are three times winners of the Belgian title.

They play at the Roosendaal Stadium and their star players include Serbian midfielder Ivan Gvozdenovic, Croatian international Tomislav Butina and Gambian striker Ebrima Sillah.

However, they are very much in the shadow of Club Brugge, the current Belgian champions, who once famously lost a European Cup final at Wembley against a Liverpool side containing none other than a certain Graeme Souness.

As well as sending some of their most promising youngsters to Belgian, Rovers would also look at loaning out some of their fringe players to their Belgian counterparts.