BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness could be poised to make his third signing of the summer after handing a trial to French wonderkid Abdoulay Konko.

As we revealed earlier in the summer, the Genoa youngster has already spent one spell on trial with Rovers at the end of last season.

And, such was the impression he made on Souness and his coaching staff at the time that he's been invited back to Brockhall for pre-season training, as our exclusive picture reveals.

As yet, the Marseille-born teenager has still to appear in Genoa's first team but he is seen as a potential star of the future.

And Souness could be ready to snap him up for a nominal fee if the young Frenchman takes the chance to impress again during pre-season training over the next few days.

"I think there's a chance he could sign," admitted chief executive John Williams today.

"We'll see what Graeme makes of him this week but I know he was impressed by what he saw last time which is why he has decided to invite him back."

As I understand it, Konko may be able to walk out on Genoa for nothing after the cash-strapped Italian club reportedly failed to pay his wages at the back end of last season as a result of a financial crisis.

If that's the case, then the Serie B club would not be entitled to an actual transfer fee for the 18-year-old although Rovers may be required to pay some form of compensation if Souness decides to add him to his playing staff.

"He's effectively out of contract at Genoa so it would probably be a compensation thing rather than an actual transfer fee," added Williams.

"But we haven't gone that far down the road just as yet."

If Konko signs he will become Rovers' third new addition of the summer, following hot on the heels of Andy Todd and Sebastian Pelzer who have arrived from Charlton and Kaiserslautern respectively.

However, it may be some time before he gets his first taste of action in the Premiership because Souness regards him as more of a player for the future rather than someone who he could plunge straight into the first team.