ATALANTA defender Nicola Boselli is one of several players currently being monitored by Blackburn Rovers boss Roy Hodgson as he prepares to set his summer spending spree in motion, writes PETER WHITE.

The six-feet-plus central defender is set to be sold by the Bergamo club if they are relegated from Serie A at the end of the Italian season.

At the moment, they stand fourth from bottom with a couple of games remaining.

Rovers' chief executive John Williams confirmed today that the club were aware of Boselli's situation and were keeping an eye on it.

No formal bid has yet been made but it has been suggested that he might be available, once the relegation battle is decided, for around £1 million.

Over recent months, Rovers have scoured Europe for transfer targets and have made numerous trips to Italy and France in particular.

They are likely to start moving in on players before the World Cup finals start - though they will also have a strong presence there.

The 25-year-old Boselli began playing with Atalanta in 1992. He has been there ever since, apart from a loan spell in the lower divisions five years ago.

Atalanta are one of Italy's yo-yo clubs, often moving up and down between Serie A and Serie B.

The name might not set many pulses racing but Hodgson has stressed before that Rovers are targeting certain types of players.

He accepts they cannot compete, for various reasons, for the real superstars.

But he also believes that, if they find the right players, they can compete for honours. "There's no point losing our heads and thinking we'll get Roberto Baggio to leave Italy to come to Blackburn," he explained.

"I don't even know if the Arsenal could do that and, if he did leave, only certain clubs have a wage structure that could even deal with the sort of wages a Baggio would want.

"We have got to find players of the quality of Hendry, of Henchoz, Sherwood, McKinlay and Sutton who I think are every bit as good as any of the big names that you might name from abroad.

"But we've got to find them wherever we can, here or abroad.

"We have to find them and not be jealous of the fact that Arsenal can go out and get Bergkamp. It's not in our interests, because it would throw the club in a totally different area.

"We can't do what Arsenal have done and, even if we were able to pay £10.5 million for Jaap Stam and his wages, it's not certain he would choose Blackburn Rovers in front of Manchester United, Barcelona and Inter Milan."

Rovers Reserves play their final Pontin's League game of the season against Leeds at Elland Road tonight. They are poised to finish third in the Premier Division after leading the title race for much of the season.

Damien Duff has been named in a Republic of Ireland squad of just 18 players to face Mexico in Dublin on May 23. But there is no place for Ewood defender Jeff Kenna.

There will not be any ticket sales for Sunday's crucial clash with Newcastle on the day of the match. It is likely to sell out before then, in any case.

The ticket office is open from 9am-5.30pm today, tomorrow and Saturday. The free telephone booking line is also open at the same times on 0321-101010.

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