BLACKBURN Rovers are prepared to let Scottish international midfielder Billy McKinlay leave Ewood Park this summer.

Manager Graeme Souness has informed the board that the 31-year-old does not figure in his long-term plans.

And the club are now ready to listen to offers for the player, who has not featured in a first team game for Rovers in over a year.

"Billy has been out of action for such a long time, I believe he will need at least a dozen first team games next season before he can get back to full match fitness," said Souness today. "And that is something I cannot guarantee him.

"He is a superb competitor but David Dunn is emerging in that area of the field and we are also blessed with the likes of Garry Flitcroft, Lee Carsley and Damien Johnson, so we are pretty well covered in midfield.

"He has been a great servant to the club but Billy is at an age now where he needs to be playing regular first team football. So we will listen to offers for him."

McKinlay is now the fifth player to be told he can leave Ewood as part of a major summer shake-up.

Darren Peacock, Nathan Blake, Per Frandsen and Keith Gillespie have already been told they are surplus to requirements.

And question marks still surround the futures of Simon Grayson and Callum Davidson, following the capture of John Curtis and the proposed signing of Stig Inge Bjornebye.

But the name of McKinlay is sure to be the biggest surprise yet, especially as the player appeared to be winning his long-running fitness battle at the back end of last season. The Scot -- who is currently away on holiday in Florida -- joined Rovers in October 1995 in a £1.75m deal from Dundee United and quickly established himself as a regular in the side. A tough-tackling midfielder, he soon became a favourite with the fans and signed a new four-year contract in 1997 which tied him to the club until the end of next season.

But, over the last two seasons he has been dogged by a pelvic problem which has severely restricted his first team opportunities.

His last game in a Rovers shirt was against Arsenal at Highbury in April 1999.

And, though he has attempted several comebacks since, each time he has broken down with fresh injury problems.

Now the club have taken the reluctant decision to make him available for transfer.

But the player will have to prove his fitness first, however, before any clubs are likely to make a move. LANCS

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