BLACKBURN Rovers are closing in on one of Scottish football's hottest properties - St Mirren's 17-year-old midfield starlet Burton O'Brien.

And it could be a double swoop on the Paisley club, with another teenager, 18-year-old full back or midfielder David McNamee, involved in discussions between the two clubs over a £1 million-plus deal for the duo.

Rovers and many other top clubs on both sides of the border, have been tracking the two teenage talents for some time and Ewood chief executive John Williams confirmed today: "Yes, we have been watching them and we are talking to the club but there is nothing else I can say at this moment."

Scottish sources, however, believe that Rovers are in pole position to pip the likes of Manchester United, Leeds, Celtic and Rangers for the pair.

And it is O'Brien, who made his St Mirren debut as a 16-year-old schoolboy, that is attracting most of the attention.

Nicknamed "Bo-Bo", he was actually born in South Africa but his parents returned to Scotland when he was three and he was brought up in Glasgow.

He was handed a full professional contract when he was 17, the club did not bother with the YTS arrangements.

O'Brien missed the start of the season because of international commitments and also picked up an injury.

But he has played in midfield in St Mirren's last half-dozen games and was named man of the match in four of them.

One source close to the club said: "St Mirren have a reputation for one of the best youth schemes in Scotland and he is the pick of the lot, arguably the hottest property in the game up here at the moment." McNamee made his senior debut for the club in the final game of last season and, apart from when he has been injured or suspended, has been a regular.

At one stage, St Mirren fielded a team with an average age of just 19!

They are currently in debt to the tune of more than £1 million and could clear that by selling their prize pair.

But chairman Stewart Gilmour, who has been involved in negotiations, stressed: "We do not have to sell at this point."

He insists that their young stars will not leave unless all parties are happy with the deal, the club, the players and their parents as well.

This follows one or two previous experiences in the transfer market and has also resulted in St Mirren declining to allow starlets to join bigger clubs on trial before agreeing a deal.

There has not been any change in the Rob Jones situation. Rovers have not made a formal approach to Liverpool and West Ham remain interested.

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