BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness hopes to make his first signing of the summer in the next few days after beating Portsmouth to the signature of Andy Todd, writes ANDY NEILD.
As we revealed earlier in the week, Todd has been training with Rovers for the last 10 days in a bid to win a permanent move back to the North West.
And after making a big impression on Souness, he now looks certain to join in a £750,000 deal sometime next week despite a late bid by Portsmouth to hijack the move.
"It looks as if we may pick Andy. I don't think it's been done yet, but talking with the manager, it looks like that one will go ahead," said assistant boss Tony Parkes.
"We haven't spoken to Charlton yet but if they agree it will go ahead."
However, Charlton chief Alan Curbishley confirmed: "Portsmouth have made a renewed bid but that has been deemed unacceptable and it looks like Andy Todd will be joining Blackburn instead."
That news came as a bitter blow to Pompey boss Harry Redknapp but he admitted he feared the worst once he knew of Rovers' initial interest.
"The Andy Todd thing was always a long shot especially as he had a Premiership club after him but we won't give up until the deal is dead.
"I think the fact we are trying to attract a player of his quality shows what we are looking to do here and there are plenty more people with his ability out there."
Todd is a versatile defender who can play either in the centre or at full-back and Souness believes he could turn out to be a major bargain after falling out of favour at the Valley.
Meanwhile, Ewood legend Tony Parkes today backed Andy Cole to take the Premiership by storm next season after announcing his retirement from international football.
Cole called time on his England career in an exclusive interview with the Evening Telegraph just hours before Sven Goran Eriksson named his World Cup squad on Thursday.
And, though Parkes admits he was surprised to hear of the decision, he believes Rovers will now reap the rewards in the same way Newcastle did after Alan Shearer made a similar announcement following England's elimination from Euro 2000.
"It's good news for the club because it's a bit like the Shearer situation, isn't it?" said Parkes.
"Newcastle have reaped the benefits from Alan's retirement and you've only got to hear the lad talk to see how fresh he is and how much he is concentrated on his club football again.
"So we now hope that's the same with Andy.
"It's his personal decision to call it a day internationally and who can say if he's right or wrong."
Shearer's form had suffered at domestic level as the extra strain of international football took its toll on his body.
However, since he took the decision to retire and concentrate on his Newcastle career he has returned to form with a vengeance, scoring 25 goals this term to fire the Magpies into the Champions League.
